QCHARM, LLC is the result of a unique collaboration between a team of highly skilled individuals who have a personal and professional stake in assisting children with Autism.  This partnership is shared by Josh Bandes, David Levine, Denise Meissner, and Ken Meissner.  Mr. Bandes and Mr. Levine also own the company EZBands and they provide QCHARM with the wristband, keychain and charm technology.  Mrs. and Mr. Meissner provide the Intellectual Property of the Portable Visual Cueing System.  They are also the parents of two children, (the youngest one has the Autism diagnosis).  Although Mrs. Meissner’s career has focused on Occupational Therapy with the geriatric population, she also has clinical and personal experience in the treatment of children with Autism.  Mr. Meissner’s career has focused on biomedical engineering and he is currently a tenure track professor at Texas A&M.  Three other listed partners include:  Nicole Finneran; Sarah Holmes; and Laura Mitchell.  They have been the Meissner family’s main source of Special Education services.

We formed QCHARM with the intent to provide caregivers and educators a less labor intensive cueing method that capitalizes on the visual learning style of those with Autism and on the need for  increased ease for task preparation and transition

When we first learned that our youngest son had Autism, I was unable to imagine that we would be able to enjoy a “normal” family life.  I knew we would have to make major lifestyle changes, but how would I make those changes without feeling resentful?  How were we ever going to stop our son, Adam, from screaming, biting, hitting, scratching?  How would I ever love him without being “on guard” at all times…even late at night?  Would we ever have time to play with our oldest son, Kenny?  Would my husband and I ever have a date night without returning home to two children and a sitter overwhelmed by the change in routine?   What about my career?  I was finally promoted from staff Occupational Therapist to Director of Rehab.

Once the chromosome 15 abnormality was detected, we knew we had to surround ourselves with everybody and anybody who would help.  By collaborating with family, friends, coworkers, educators, clinicians, medical professionals, geneticists, and physicians (I did say “everybody!”), we were able to begin the road to recovery.  Then, we were thrown a curve ball…

Just when we thought we had our support system in place, we had to move from Virginia to Texas.  All of a sudden, we had to leave our established support system and build a new one.  I decided there was only one way to go—UP!  Once again, we found ourselves surrounded by amazing professionals who nurtured, educated and inspired us.  Family and friends continued to support us, and soon we began to see improvement in Adam’s language, behavior and sensory system development.  Finally, we could:  sleep through the night; have people over to our house; go out to restaurants; attend social events; and enjoy some time alone as a husband and wife.  We were also able to attend Kenny’s school and soccer events. 

One of the key factors to Adam’s progress was the use of visual cues.  The problem was that the printing - cutting - laminating - velcro process was quite labor intensive and difficult to transport.  I was determined to get Adam and me out of the house and into the community without having to worry so much about when his next tantrum would be.   Eventually I graduated from trying to survive Adam’s tantrums to enjoying his emerging sense of humor!  Finally, we could communicate with each other, trust each other, learn from each other, and laugh with each other.  

Still, one important issue remained…how to reduce Adam’s tantrum frequency, intensity and duration over summer vacation.  With school closed, Adam and I would need to tolerate each other for extended periods of time!  But how would I transport all of those visual cues and supplies?  And how would I have time and energy to make new cue cards?  Then in the summer of 2006, the light bulb moment happened—I would make a bracelet that had charms to represent the activities Adam and I would look forward to!  He was already looking at and talking with me about my beach theme charm bracelet.  And I admit, when I was feeling overwhelmed, I would look at the charms and anticipate our upcoming vacation.  Aha!  This was too good of an idea to ignore…and one that I knew I had to share with others. 

That August Ken (my husband) and I began designing a Portable Visual Cueing System.  We planned to find a way to make a wristband and removable charm system.  Fortunately, during a web search we discovered the company, EZBands.  During our initial phone conversations with EZBand owner, Josh Bandes, he experienced his own aha! moment.  He and his business partner, Dave Levine, offered to partner with us and form a new company.  Now, QCHARM, LLC offers an exclusive charm line that uses icons to represent activities, daily items and rewards (just for starters).  We use a yellow wristband to support activity/schedule charms and a green band to support positive reinforcement stars.  For those who prefer not to wear a wrist band, we offer a key chain version of the band.

When I look back, I realize that Adam did not ask to be born with Autism and he certainly did not ask to feel so out of control and hypersensitive.  I believe that he was born to bring out our creativity and to inspire us to help others.

With QCHARMS, we offer a fashionable and functional system to assist you in connecting with a child who has Autism.  We realize that Autism presents many levels of severity and that those who work and care for this population have varying resources.  Our hope is that you will capitalize on the visual learning techniques that have made such a difference in our lives.  If we provide these special children with what they need, we will not limit their ability to express their needs, to prepare for task transition, to anticipate rewards, to learn cause and effect, and to connect with others in their own way.  We just need to accept the situation, use the tools and look for the many signs of progress—especially the seemingly smallest signs. 
Allow yourself to be amazed!!

With gratitude,

Denise, Ken, Kenny and Adam Meissner