Audreanna Robertson was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder two years ago. Audreanna is nonverbal but knows signs for about 100 words, a quarter of which she uses on a regular basis.

Photos by JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times

Audreanna Robertson's occupational therapist Shelley Ionescu works with her on a swing earlier this month as her mom Lavada Robertson watches.

Virginia Autism Project Northern Virginia Director Teresa Champion (far left) and Lavada Robertson talk with Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County, about proposed autism coverage legislation as Audreanna Robertson plays on the couch.

Audreanna Robertson signs to one of her favorite songs "The Wheels on the Bus" as her mom and little sister Elleena watch. Audreanna still has sensory issues but has become a lot better at functioning in the community in the past two years.

Photos by JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times

Lavada Robertson talks to her 4-year-old daughter Audreanna after she becomes upset. Robertson says she knows people whisper and talk when Audreanna has a meltdown, but she has to remind herself that they don't know her life or what is going on in Audreanna's head.

Lavada Robertson of Hardy breathed a long-awaited sigh of relief two weeks ago when an insurance company approved coverage of treatment services for her 4-year-old daughter, who has autism.

In the two years since Audreanna was diagnosed, Robertson has racked up thousands of dollars in debt, battled with insurance companies over denied claims and urged Virginia lawmakers to mandate coverage for the developmental disorder that affects one in 110 U.S. children.

Fifteen states have passed laws requiring insurance coverage for autism treatment, and about 20 others, including Virginia, are considering it. The Robertsons met with their representative, Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County, in Richmond last week, one day before House Bill 303 was killed in a tie vote in a House Commerce and Labor subcommittee. The bill would have required insurance companies to provide coverage for diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders until children reach age 10.

"It is not done yet," Robertson said. "We've still got the Senate bill."

Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax County, proposed the Senate bill, which mirrors the House version. A Senate subcommittee is scheduled to consider the bill next week.

Robertson, who serves as a regional director of the nonprofit organization Virginia Autism Project, said what is being considered this year is a scaled-down version of what the General Assembly considered last year. The 2009 bills proffered coverage until age 21.

"From the time a kid is diagnosed, he or she needs to get as much intervention as possible," Robertson said.

Her heart's desire is for Audreanna to attend the Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center in Roanoke County, where she can receive intensive applied behavior analysis therapy. But Robertson and her husband are not able to pay out of pocket for the tuition.

"We had tapped all of our resources," she said. "We have already mortgaged three times. We have nothing left to sell. If I had to, I would sell my house and live in a cardboard box, if it ever got to that point. It didn't get to that point for us, thank goodness."

Robertson's husband, Jason, works third shift as a package handler at UPS. He takes Audreanna and her 2-year-old sister to preschool in the mornings before going home to sleep.

Lavada Robertson works part time in call center for a major financial institution. Her shift ends in time to pick the girls up at noon.

The company where Robertson works recently merged with a California-based bank. The newly formed corporation already offered autism coverage, and it became available to Roanoke employees Jan. 1. Robertson began filling out the paperwork her first day back to work after the New Year's holiday. Three weeks passed before she received the good news.

Now that Audreanna is approved, insurance will cover 90 percent of her treatment at BRAAC, beginning with 10 hours of evaluation and testing to determine what services and therapies she needs.

"Audreanna is nonverbal, but her IQ tested in the normal range," Robertson said. "She is considered low-functioning because she can't speak but a couple of words."

Audreanna knows signs for about 100 words, about a quarter of which she uses on a regular basis. She knows numbers and letters, but there is some sort of misfire when it comes to auditory processing.

"When you tell her something, she hears it one way but can't reproduce the sound," Robertson explained. "She hears 'daddy,' but she says 'dee dee.' 'Baby' sounds like 'buh buh.' "

Audreanna goes to speech therapy twice a week and occupational therapy one time each week. The therapies are covered by Medicaid. She attends preschool at Bonsack Baptist Church, where she spends the majority of the three-hour day working one-on-one with an aide. Robertson designs the curriculum and packs a plastic tote daily with activities, supplies and checklists for Audreanna.

With a little prompting, Audreanna can follow most simple directives: sit, walk, scribble, kiss the doll, brush your hair. She doesn't tend to make eye contact and she is drawn to video games, cellphones and other electronic devices.

Michelle Butt, an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech and Audreanna's preschool aide, tells her to jump. When Audreanna doesn't immediately respond, Butt puts her hands under the girl's armpits to help her bounce. Next Audreanna attempts to jump on her own; her body moves liker she is doing the wave, but her feet remain planted and never leave the ground.

At school, Audreanna joins her 16 preschool classmates for free play, snack time and occasional special activities.

She returned to the 4-year-old class on a recent morning. Her peers were seated at tables with grapes and cheese crackers. One classmate excitedly announced Audreanna's arrival and when she sat down another child scooted Audreanna's chair closer to the table. Butt said she has seen a tremendous change in the way Audreanna interacts with the other children since she started working with her in September.

"She doesn't talk a whole lot, but she tells them, 'Hi' or 'Bye' and gives hugs," Butt said. "Her interaction is becoming more appropriate."

Robertson wants to see her daughter's progress continue. Until last year Robertson had never called her delegate or senator; she did not know where the Capitol building was or how Virginia's legislative process worked. Now she uses all her spare time -- including the minutes while she drives Audreanna to and from school and therapy to call state lawmakers and lobby for autism coverage. She is not giving up just because Audreanna's treatment will be covered.

"I am going to be the little kid who doesn't leave," she said. "I am going to keep asking, 'Why not, why not, why not?' "