By Brian Zanzonico
It is the first of its kind on Long Island, and possibly all of New York state, Hempstead Town officials said.
But for Inga Krevatas, the mother of nonverbal 5-year-old identical twin girls, Alexa and Sophia, the sign is more than a caution for drivers and an aid to her own piece of mind. It helps draw attention to a neurobiological disorder that has baffled scientists for decades - and whose diagnosis is increasing dramatically.
According to autismspeaks.org, one in 166 children is diagnosed with autism, the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. Krevatas, also the mother of a 7-year-old named Olivia, said that researching the services her twins are eligible for has become something like a full-time job. Parents of autistic children often don't realize their children only qualify for aid if they are clinically diagnosed with the disorder, she explained, adding that she hopes the sign outside her home triggers some local discourse about autism.
"As soon as the sign went up, four neighbors came by to say they have autistic children," Krevatas said in an interview in her kitchen.
An active member of the Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA) in the Franklin Square School District, she said she is willing to offer parents of children recently diagnosed with autism something she wishes she had when her girls were diagnosed at 18 months: someone who had walked in her shoes. All parents have to do is follow the sign in front of her house. "It comes as a shock when you get the news, and it's nice to talk to someone who's been there," Krevatas said.
Sophia, born 14 minutes before Alexa, is the more analytical of the pair. Sophia, Krevatas said, is the antithesis of Alexa, who is more impulsive and is always running and jumping. Krevatas and her husband, George, began to notice that something was wrong with the twins soon after they turned a year old. Neither would look them in the eye or cuddle. Inga thought her children had traits of autism, but it wasn't until they were diagnosed at 18 months that her fears were realized. After receiving the news, she gave up a successful 14-year job on Wall Street to piece together a life for her twins.
Years after their diagnosis, Krevatas said she has seen progress in her daughters. She credits the Franklin Square School District, physicians, and the steady help of Olivia with setting them on the path to a normal life.
Getting the sign
In most communities, there are signs warning motorists of the presence of deaf and blind children. Krevatas wondered why there weren't any autistic-area postings, and wrote a letter to Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray requesting one. Within two weeks, Murray responded, saying the town would oblige. On Aug. 22, the town organized a sign unveiling ceremony.
"There are few things more gratifying than when government and neighbors work together to address genuine areas of concern," Murray said. "I am proud that Hempstead is an 'autistic friendly' township."
Murray also said she hopes other parents of autistic children contact the town about having the signs installed in their neighborhoods. She said that although the town has no jurisdiction over county and state streets, town officials will direct parents who want signs on those streets to the appropriate government office.
"It gives drivers more warning," Krevatas said. "There are not just typical kids at play, so they have to be doubly cautious."
Mary Flores, mother of two autistic boys in Elmont, said she would contact the town about getting a sign on her street. "Maybe by knowing autistic kids live here, drivers will think twice before speeding down my block," Flores said.
Krevatas said that with any luck, the sign on Adonia Street will be the first of many not only throughout the state, but the country.
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