Utah household lives nomadic way of life to assist little one with autism thrive

FARMINGTON – A pair who as soon as dreamed of placing down deep roots in Farmington is now shifting from campground to campground all through the western United States to assist their “profoundly autistic” little one thrive.

Brittney and Preston Clark have been married for 13 years. They moved fairly regularly of their first a number of years of marriage, on the lookout for entrepreneurial alternatives for Preston. Sick and uninterested in shifting, they purchased their dream residence in Farmington in 2016, and Brittney deliberate to remain eternally.

She dreamed of elevating their three youngsters, livestock, and a backyard on their massive property close to the Davis County Fairgrounds. It was her “sanctuary homeschool house,” Preston Clark mentioned.

But as their second son, now 8 years outdated, acquired older, challenges related along with his Level 3 autism spectrum dysfunction introduced hundreds of {dollars} of nightmarish harm to their dream residence, and their sanctuary now not felt protected for them as Hyrum started to wander previous the parameters of their yard.

The Clarks tried to ship Hyrum to utilized conduct evaluation remedy when he was 3 years outdated. This is the one remedy that might give Brittney respite through the day, since she would not should attend with him. But even that proved counterintuitive because it took greater than an hour to persuade Hyrum to satisfy with the therapist, and when he’d lastly consent to enter the room, he would interact in self-harming practices. The Clarks labored with a number of therapists and tried following all of the steering they might get, however nothing was working.

In addition to his autism, Hyrum has pathological demand avoidance, which is “a pattern of behavior in which kids go to extremes to ignore or avoid anything they perceive as a demand.”

Because of his pathological demand avoidance, Hyrum is not going to use a rest room however as an alternative will relieve himself outdoors when it is good climate, and anyplace inside the home aside from the lavatory when it isn’t.

“For me, it just came to an incredible head when I realized … where do I go in this society?” Brittney Clark mentioned, including that she now not felt like she belonged, even inside her dream residence.

Hyrum likes to discover outdoors and would spend hours catching grasshoppers, snakes and frogs on their fenced-in, 1-acre property. But as he acquired older, he started hopping the fence to search for extra creatures. Because he’ll solely put on a shirt and nothing else, the Clarks mentioned individuals thought he was a uncared for little one wandering round. They ended up having a couple of dozen police interactions in just some months.

Desperate to maintain Hyrum protected, Brittney had traffic-looking indicators that mentioned “Autistic Child” put in outdoors their home to alert locals that he could also be wandering. Unfortunately, it grew to become a well-liked adolescent prank to steal these indicators and do different foul issues with them. This was the final straw.

“It was the moment I no longer had any affection for my home,” Brittney Clark mentioned.

On Dec. 1, 2024, Preston and Brittney moved their household, together with Hyrum, 11-year-old Eden and 6-year-old Emerson, to a condominium in St. George, the place the fairer climate could be simpler on Hyrum, who thrives outside.

Initially, St. George went effectively, nevertheless it was nonetheless too populated for Hyrum’s nervousness, they usually observed after about 5 weeks there, his nervousness grew to become worse. Because of the expense of renting condominiums and Hyrum’s frequent want to alter his atmosphere, the Clarks bought an RV, which they have been dwelling and touring in for the higher a part of a yr.

After some experimenting with completely different RV parks, the Clarks have realized Hyrum does higher with “dispersed camping,” the place they’re removed from crowds.

“Being out of suburbia, being out of where people were watching and judging and reporting … (we) finally could breathe,” Brittney Clark mentioned.

They began tenting in southern Utah however have since made their option to Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon.

“We have seen such a huge difference getting him away from people, getting him away from society and away from the stimulus and the noise,” Preston Clark mentioned. “It literally changes him, and he is totally a different kid. He’s still autistic, he still struggles, he’s still hard, but he is tolerable to parent, he’s tolerable for his siblings to be around, he’s actually fun and just a different kid.”

The Clarks are understandably involved about their different youngsters and are attempting to do proper by the entire household.

Their son, Emerson, additionally has particular wants, albeit milder than his brother’s. He’s tailored effectively to their new life and enjoys the journey. The transition has been robust for his or her daughter, Eden, nevertheless, who has a want to be amongst mates.

To assist all their youngsters, they attempt to discover distant campgrounds close to water for Hyrum to play in and which might be shut sufficient to a small city that may function their “hub,” so their different youngsters can attend native homeschool and neighborhood actions. They keep close to the identical small city for a couple of month at a time, which Preston Clark mentioned works for his or her household. In each space they’ve moved to, Eden has made at the very least one pal.

“She’s found more fun with her brothers and her family and playing with them… and that’s been an amazing blessing,” Preston Clark mentioned.

Brittney Clark added that in addition they attempt to take Eden to volunteer at one thing like an area meals financial institution or thrift retailer, wherever they’re, so she will really feel a way of neighborhood. She mentioned doing volunteer work helps them really feel like they belong someplace.

Multiple individuals have instructed the Clarks that someday, they will finally should ship Hyrum away and provides custody to the state. But the Clarks are doing all the things of their energy to remain a household.

“God sent us this child, and I don’t think it was ever his intention for us to give him up,” Preston Clark mentioned.

To study extra concerning the Clarks’ nomadic journey, learn their blog, “May There Be A Road.”