Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Calvert | Spc. Krysta Moore (left), a Chicago native and air defense battle management system...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas – Well before she received the diagnosis, she knew her son was facing challenges.
When her son, Charles, was born in 2009, Spc. Krysta Moore gave him the same affection that any loving parent would offer her newborn.
Two years later, Charles would show symptoms and receive a diagnosis that shook the very foundation of their household, said Moore, an air defense battle management system operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
“The Albuquerque Public School District called me a day after they ran testing on Charles,” said Moore. “The woman on the phone was very nervous as she said, ‘I don’t know how to say this.’ I replied, ‘My son’s autistic,’ and she quietly whispered ‘Yes.’”
“When Charles was 2 years old, he wasn’t talking; he would just mumble,” the Chicago native said. “He struggled to say ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy,’ and refused to make eye contact. He also hated being dressed and struggled with severe separation anxiety.”
Realizing that something was wrong, Moore took Charles to the doctor to see why he wasn’t reaching the milestones expected of a toddler his age.
“The doctor didn’t seem overly concerned, except for him clearly being behind in his speech development,” she said. “Initially, she took it as me being an overworried mother; however, later testing would prove my initial fears were right.”
Through participating in the Autistic Diagnostic Observation Schedule exam (an instrument for diagnosing and assessing autism), Charles was found by the Albuquerque Public School District to be mildly autistic and was enrolled in a curriculum for children with special needs.
“After finding out he was autistic, my only concern was finding out what we needed to do to move forward,” she said. “Taking care of his needs was and is still my top priority. I want Charles to have the best life possible.”
Immediately after Charles was diagnosed, Moore enlisted in the military and was shipped to initial entry training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to begin her path to becoming a Soldier.
During basic training, Moore said she often wondered how Charles’ vocabulary was expanding, as he wasn’t talking when she left.
Her concerns were soon answered by an unforgettable phone call, she said.
“They gave us five minutes to make a phone call for Easter,” she explained. “My husband put Charles on the phone, and he said, ‘I love you momma.’ I always knew he loved me, but hearing it for the first time meant so much.”
Now a Trooper in the Air Cavarly, Moore has Charles enrolled at Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary School here, where she said he is still making great progress.
“He still has his challenging days, and when he does, everyone has a bad day,” said Moore. “But I can accredit his progress to the occupational and speech therapy he’s been provided over the past few years.”
Moving forward, Moore has her sights turned on educating the public about the disorder, while simultaneously battling common misconceptions, she said.
“People oftentimes don’t understand autism, or they assume all mental disabilities are the same,” she explained. “I get the most grief from people who approach me in public and say, ‘You need to control your kid.’ My first reaction is typically anger, but then I calm down and explain to them what they don’t understand.”
“I feel like it’s my job to help educate them,” she further added. “ I want to shed light on what autism actually is. Ultimately, every child is different, but we all see the world differently.”
Now, Moore is working to establish an event for her brigade that will inform and educate her fellow troopers.
“I’ve been in touch with Autism Speaks and am trying to create a fun run, which will help raise autism awareness,” she said. “Eventually, I would like to create a post-wide run that would help Soldiers realize these kids are special and not in a bad way.”
Sgt. Carla Garcia, an aviation operations specialist with HHC, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, has been Moore’s squad leader for more than a year, and said her efforts have not gone unnoticed.
“Spc. Moore is goal-oriented, determined and passionate,” the Garfield, New Jersey, native said. “I, too, have an autistic child, and the run she’s trying to establish would be a great way to raise awareness.”
“We want people to know that autism doesn’t have to hinder a child from having a wonderful life,” Garcia added. “If we can educate the parents, then the children have a better chance at success.”
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2014 16:40 |
| Story ID: | 150802 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | CHICAGO, IL, US |
| Hometown: | GARFIELD, NJ, US |
| Web Views: | 98 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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