Help needed for Autism!
Donation protected
Hello everyone.
Firstly thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my campaign.
I am Diane, wife and mother to two children. Daisy who is 9 and Jack who is two and a half.
The past 18 months has been the most challenging time of my life. My son is currently going through diagnosis for Autism.
As many will already know its a long process and is mentally, physically and emotionally draining.
Jack is showing signs autism and ADHD. He has GDD and learning difficulties.He is non verbal and unable to communicate.
I noticed changes in Jack not long after his 1st birthday, he wouldn't respond to sounds, not even his name. He wouldn't be cuddled and showed no real emotion other than crying.
At first I thought Jack was possibly deaf or partially deaf so I started the process of numerous Audiology tests over the space of 18 months including sedation at Alder Hey who also suggested the Spectrum to us.
Its now very clear to us how hard Jack is finding life, his quirks are changing all the time. He struggles to eat, he can't talk, doesn't respond to anyone's voice, doesn't play or interact. He is very destructive in his behaviour and bangs his head a lot and has just recently started slapping his face. He can do this 15 times in a row at his worst.
And so the last 18 months has been an emotional rollercoaster for my family, particularly my daughter. Jack is only just starting to make eye contact with her and just last weekend held her hand. Small progress just for a moment but I can't tell you how happy this made us all.
Daisy waited for a sibling after my husband and I kept miscarrying. I am very proud of her for accepting that Jack is a little different but my heart breaks that he shows her little emotion. Jack spent months scratching both Daisy and myself and pulling at our hair. Despite it hurting her physically and emotionally , Daisy has been amazing and I know she will always look after her brother.
In the past few months, I really have hit the most challenging time and I don't know where else to turn.
My mother has had her third heart attack and underwent a triple bypass at the end of March.
Mum is my rock, shes the only other person who can help me with Jack other than nursery, I am unable to ask her to help anymore due to her health.
And so , I've had to give up 2 days at work. I am now just able to work 1 day, of 12 hours.My childcare fees have already gone up due to a price increase and I don’t have the support from my mum. I now have to work a longer day to cram as many hours in as I can in one day and I can't afford to change Jacks routine as it will just cause him more frustration.
This year I was hoping to get my garden finished, I don't get a lot of time as Jack takes up all my time with his care but I hoped I could make a safe garden and build a small sensory room to help calm Jack when he's at his worst. I can't do any of this at the moment until I have sorted my finances out. I'm stuck and I need help and can't see a way out of this. I am asking for any help to enable me to make a sensory room for my garden.
Jacks absolute favourite place to be is two of our local soft play centres. Jack can’t hurt himself , he can bang his head on the soft mats if he wishes too but he rarely does until it’s time to go home! He loves playing in the ball pit and with the soft cubes. He is fascinated by the colour purple and loves all the purple bricks and mats the centres have. He is always calm and happy when I take him to the centres and allows time for eye contact and encouraging his speech.
it also allows his sister to interact with Jack, even if it’s just sitting together passing cubes.
I have seen a summer play house I would like to convert into a safe haven for Jack. I hope to be able to use as many sensory items as I can to enable a space for Jack to be calm and engage in quiet time where I can focus on making eye contact with him so I can encourage his speech and communication skills.
(Lots of purple!)
The building itself is £780 I am hoping I can achieve this so we can for once enjoy Summer and Winter when the bad weather comes! I am hoping to fill it with sensory items such a UV mats, soft play
cubes and all the things that Jack loves at the Soft Play areas.
Again, thank you for your time in reading my campaign.
Firstly thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my campaign.
I am Diane, wife and mother to two children. Daisy who is 9 and Jack who is two and a half.
The past 18 months has been the most challenging time of my life. My son is currently going through diagnosis for Autism.
As many will already know its a long process and is mentally, physically and emotionally draining.
Jack is showing signs autism and ADHD. He has GDD and learning difficulties.He is non verbal and unable to communicate.
I noticed changes in Jack not long after his 1st birthday, he wouldn't respond to sounds, not even his name. He wouldn't be cuddled and showed no real emotion other than crying.
At first I thought Jack was possibly deaf or partially deaf so I started the process of numerous Audiology tests over the space of 18 months including sedation at Alder Hey who also suggested the Spectrum to us.
Its now very clear to us how hard Jack is finding life, his quirks are changing all the time. He struggles to eat, he can't talk, doesn't respond to anyone's voice, doesn't play or interact. He is very destructive in his behaviour and bangs his head a lot and has just recently started slapping his face. He can do this 15 times in a row at his worst.
And so the last 18 months has been an emotional rollercoaster for my family, particularly my daughter. Jack is only just starting to make eye contact with her and just last weekend held her hand. Small progress just for a moment but I can't tell you how happy this made us all.
Daisy waited for a sibling after my husband and I kept miscarrying. I am very proud of her for accepting that Jack is a little different but my heart breaks that he shows her little emotion. Jack spent months scratching both Daisy and myself and pulling at our hair. Despite it hurting her physically and emotionally , Daisy has been amazing and I know she will always look after her brother.
In the past few months, I really have hit the most challenging time and I don't know where else to turn.
My mother has had her third heart attack and underwent a triple bypass at the end of March.
Mum is my rock, shes the only other person who can help me with Jack other than nursery, I am unable to ask her to help anymore due to her health.
And so , I've had to give up 2 days at work. I am now just able to work 1 day, of 12 hours.My childcare fees have already gone up due to a price increase and I don’t have the support from my mum. I now have to work a longer day to cram as many hours in as I can in one day and I can't afford to change Jacks routine as it will just cause him more frustration.
This year I was hoping to get my garden finished, I don't get a lot of time as Jack takes up all my time with his care but I hoped I could make a safe garden and build a small sensory room to help calm Jack when he's at his worst. I can't do any of this at the moment until I have sorted my finances out. I'm stuck and I need help and can't see a way out of this. I am asking for any help to enable me to make a sensory room for my garden.
Jacks absolute favourite place to be is two of our local soft play centres. Jack can’t hurt himself , he can bang his head on the soft mats if he wishes too but he rarely does until it’s time to go home! He loves playing in the ball pit and with the soft cubes. He is fascinated by the colour purple and loves all the purple bricks and mats the centres have. He is always calm and happy when I take him to the centres and allows time for eye contact and encouraging his speech.
it also allows his sister to interact with Jack, even if it’s just sitting together passing cubes.
I have seen a summer play house I would like to convert into a safe haven for Jack. I hope to be able to use as many sensory items as I can to enable a space for Jack to be calm and engage in quiet time where I can focus on making eye contact with him so I can encourage his speech and communication skills.
(Lots of purple!)
The building itself is £780 I am hoping I can achieve this so we can for once enjoy Summer and Winter when the bad weather comes! I am hoping to fill it with sensory items such a UV mats, soft play
cubes and all the things that Jack loves at the Soft Play areas.
Again, thank you for your time in reading my campaign.
Organizer
Diane Astill
Organizer
