Inspire, Fall 2007

14 Fall 2007 Feature : Joel Eaby ’ 98 In his gospel , Matthew describes great crowds who came to Jesus, bringing their sick and laying them at His feet to be healed (Matthew 15:30). It’s just one of many instances in Scripture of Jesus meeting people’s physical needs as an opportunity to address their more desperate spiritual needs. Thousands of years later, followers of Christ in the health-care field are still following His perfect example. Dr. Joel Eaby ’98, president and owner of Functional Therapy Specialists in Atlanta, is one of them. The Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, native came to Cedarville to study athletic training, and through the influence of department chair Dr. Evan Hellwig ’84, he became interested in the closely related field of physical therapy. “I was impressed with Dr. Hellwig’s level of knowledge,” Joel recalls. “He sparked my interest in pursuing a more professional career path beyond my time at Cedarville.” That career path eventually led Joel to a life’s work dedicated to helping autistic children and their families. Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States, with an estimated 1 in 150 children in the country suffering from one or more of the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is the result of a neurological problem affecting brain development in the areas of communication and social interaction. It is often characterized by unusual, repetitive, and severely limited interests and activities. According to the Autism Society of America, autism has become a national health crisis, costing the United States more than $35 billion a year and affecting millions of lives. Joel is now on the front lines of the battle against autism, working with pediatric patients to overcome the limits the disability places on their lives. After graduating from Cedarville, Joel worked for one year as an athletic trainer before pursuing graduate studies in physical therapy. In 2003, he earned a doctoral degree in physical therapy through the prestigious program at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. After working in an outpatient physical therapy clinic in the Chicago area, Joel relocated to Atlanta to start his own pediatric/early intervention physical therapy practice. Unlike many traditional physical therapists, Joel provides his services to patients in their homes. On a typical day, he sees about five to seven children, all with varying degrees of disability, some caused by forms of autism. Morning appointments are usually reserved for treating babies and children under age three, since they are not yet in school. “The babies have a variety of diagnoses that all result in developmental delay,” Joel explains. “I am teaching them how to sit up, crawl, and walk for the first time — usually months after typical children their age have already learned these things on their own.” Afternoon appointments find Joel working with autistic children after they return home from school. These children are affected by a wide range of physical and neurological disorders that can make simple, age-appropriate play activities very difficult to learn. Joel teaches the children a variety of functional activities they have trouble learning on their own — from riding bikes or scooters to swimming, kicking, catching, and throwing. He also works with his patients on skills for sports such as baseball, basketball, and soccer. Therapy for Body, Mind, and Soul by Sarah Bartlett Borich ’02