During Greek week, there will be fundraising efforts to help raise money for three-year-old Alyssa who is facing the worst effects of Autism.

The fundraisers include Jail-N-Bail and a steak dinner provided by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Jail-N-Bail will be held Monday, Feb. 3 from noon until 4 p.m. in the UC Cafeteria Lobby. Here students and faculty will be “pretend arrested” and will be put in “pretend jail.” A phone will be provided to call friends to raise bail money. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, SAE will host a steak dinner from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. The steak dinner is $5. Tickets are on sale now.

A check for the money raised during Greek week will be presented to Penny and Alyssa Ray Saturday, Feb. 8, after Stepshow.

Autism is a neurological disorder that short-circuits the development of neural pathways in the brain. There are three basic diagnostic criteria for autism: repetitive behaviors, impaired language, which could mean no language or a language so highly developed that it is abnormal for a child so young, and lack of imaginative play skills and social skills.

“I first knew something was wrong with my little girl when Alex, her twin brother, pointed at a ‘v’ of geese in the sky and said look at birds, and Alyssa didn’t look or point,” Penny Ray, Alyssa’s mother said. “I also recall a trip to the zoo when she saw nothing but the tiniest pebbles on the pavement.”

The Rays have seen real results through ABA. ABA is similar to therapy used with stroke victims to help rebuild neural pathways; only in autism the aim is to build the neural pathways through repetitive behavior where the development somehow stopped.

Since Alyssa began ABA in May 2001 her vocabulary of three words now exceeds 500. She makes eye contact and can name every animal in the zoo.

ABA home program can cost families $25,000 - $35,000 a year. Special autism schools can be even more expensive.

Local Schools don't even provide ABA. Besides the cost of ABA, Alyssa has to be on a special diet that can be highly expensive.

“I think of all expenses in terms of ABA hours,” Ray said. “I had to buy a new pair of walking shoes. I threw my six-plus-year-old pair away because the sole cracked and my feet were getting wet. I managed to buy a pair on sale, plus I had a coupon for an extra 15 percent off, but still paid two of Alyssa’s ABA hours for those shoes I needed.”

Expenses include: · Alyssa's therapy is $325 a week, $45 a day. · The hospital charges $101 an hour plus $30 travel fees for a behavioral consultant. Insurance gives partial coverage toward 60 visits. · The Rays pay $20 co-pay. If the consultant comes 26 times that is a $500 expense at $20 a visit. · Updated material for therapy is expensive through ABA places. · Special foods bought are extremely expensive. Such foods as gluten free / casein foods, soy or rice milks. Special deli meats, special flours, pastas, bread (four buns are $3.69 and a short loaf is $5), special crackers, cereals frozen waffles and cookies. · Supplements to balance Alyssa's biochemistry run $100 a month. · Alyssa’s Auditory Integration over Christmas break cost $1,300. Insurance doesn't cover it. · In February, the Rays return to Prieffer Treatment Clinic for follow up testing at over $400. Insurance denied coverage.