Richard E. Poulin III,  Columnist—

an American currently working as Head of Middle School for an international school in Bangkok, Thailand. He is also the president of the nonprofit organization Teach RARE. In 2018 his newborn daughter, Rylae-Ann, was diagnosed with the ultra-rare disease, aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. Richard shares his journey and aims to provide caregivers with strategies and tips to improve their family's journey.

Articles by Richard Poulin III

Standing Tall With AADC

When I first learned about the severe symptoms associated with aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, standing seemed like an impossibility for my now 3-year-old daughter, Rylae-Ann. However, physical therapists told me about a device that makes standing possible while serving as a form of therapy. At the time…

A Beautiful Destination and Its Detours

As a young boy, I used to lie in bed and play in my room imagining that I was a hero or that I had accomplished something great. Maybe everybody has had dreams like this. In my daydream, I was always in some sort of war or great battle, probably…