Pam Honey, a Boulder City mother, reflects back on the past years of her son, Jordan, who has been diagnosed with autism since childhood, and she can’t help but be thankful.
“It is a miracle that he can now be called the freshman prince of his class at Boulder City High School after being recommended for institutionalisation,” said Pam Honey. “The progress he has made has brought me much joy, and I feel the need to spread hope to parents in this situation”
Jordan’s early life
Pam is a mom of three children, but her life was shaken was her youngest child, Jordan, was diagnosed with autism.
She explains in her recently published book “From Autism to Royalty” that before Jordan’s Autism diagnosis, Jordan would display peculiar behaviours, such as being extremely sensitive to noises, having difficulty expressing himself with words and making repetitive motions with his mouth and hands.
Pam remembers the worry, confusion and uncertainty that overwhelmed them when her son was misdiagnosed.
Pam Honey recounts her experience with her son’s diagnosis, explaining that at first, “He had absolutely no ability to think through situations,” she recalled. “When I took him for check-up, the doctor said he was mentally ill and that he will eventually be institutionalised at 13 years of age if I couldn’t take any action”
According to Pam, the situation was worsening, and Jordan displayed troubling behaviours such as hitting, biting, spitting and throwing tantrums. His communication skills were deteriorating, and he was falling behind academically.
Jordan’s Autism Diagnosis
However, Pam refused to give up on her son. After struggling to pinpoint the cause of her son’s unusual behaviour, Pam Honey was directed towards an autism diagnosis by a friend whose child displayed similar signs. Through their conversation, it became clear that Jordan was exhibiting many typical autistic symptoms, so they booked an appointment with a doctor. After being assessed, Jordan was officially diagnosed with autism.
Once the diagnosis was confirmed, it drastically affected their lives. Pam Honey used this opportunity to get Jordan the best possible treatment by utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and training to ensure he had access to all the resources and education he was entitled to.
Jordan Honey made a significant turnaround in his life thanks to Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy which he began receiving in kindergarten. Since then, Jordan and Pam have been on an amazing journey as they navigated through school and other aspects of life. Pam also dreamed that her son would be accepted by his peers, and her dream came true in 2009 when he was named the freshman prince of his class at Boulder City High School.
Continued progress
Since then, her son has continued progressing in many areas. For example, Jordan is currently employed at two golf courses in Boulder City, the Boulder City Municipal Golf Course and the Boulder Creek Golf Course. In addition to his work, he is active in his church, organizing activities and events. He has enrolled in college classes and recently joined a singing and dance group. He was reliant and self-confident.
“Through our journey with autism I hope to show that there is always hope,” Pam said. “regardless of how hard things may seem, you should never give up because the outcome could be something truly remarkable.”
Pam Honey’s book “From Autism to Royalty: The Freshman Prince of Bould-Air” is an inspiring and encouraging story of her journey with Jordan, which she hopes will inspire other parents in similar situations.
