Ashley Crowell’s parents realized she had autism before she reached her first birthday. Over time, Ashley was diagnosed with other complex conditions, including anxiety disorder, ADHD, schizoaffective disorder, and neurofibromatosis. With the support of a local psychiatrist, her symptoms remained manageable. Then she hit puberty.
Inundated with hormones, Ashley began exhibiting extremely challenging behaviors — including violence, threats, and self-harm — which were so severe they often resulted in medical emergencies. Her psychiatrist recommended inpatient treatment, but finding the right type of care proved difficult. Between the ages of 14 and 16, Ashley was transferred in and out of a series of hospitals. She needed an interdisciplinary team that could provide not only behavioral therapy but also medical treatment and rehabilitation when needed.
When she was admitted to the New Directions Program at Nexus, Ashley scored a 27 out of 100 on the Vineland-3 adaptive behavior assessment, which measures personal competence in several domains, including communication, daily living skills, socialization, motor skills, and maladaptive behaviors. She exhibited severe behavior dysregulation resulting in psychiatric emergencies, often multiple times a day. Her self-injurious tendencies were also extreme. On one occasion, she fractured her arm after repeatedly hitting it against the wall during a dysregulated episode.
Once the Nexus treatment team discovered a combination of medications that improved Ashley’s capacity to comprehend and retain information, she began to make progress.
“Through physical and occupational therapy, she regained the use of fine motor skills after her fracture,” said Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Nina Herring. “As she learned to regulate her behaviors, she was also able to engage in occupational therapy, which allowed her to master activities of daily living, such as showering independently.”
Ashley continued to make tremendous strides throughout her stay at Nexus. She developed social skills, improved her ability to interact with staff and peers, and became more independent. By the time she was discharged, Ashley’s Vineland-3 score had jumped from 27 to a 48 out of 100. Ashley’s mother, Jeanie Crowell, credits Ashley’s improved receptivity to the Nexus staff.
“Ashley has an uncanny sense of people,” said Jeanie. “She can sense if you really have her best interests at heart, or if you’re just in it for a job. Her teachers at Nexus were able to introduce subjects Ashley didn’t like in a way that she could receive.”
Now back at home, Ashley continues to practice the emotional regulation skills she learned at Nexus— and Jeanie reports that she is happier than she’s ever been.
