Alex’s Journey Fund

On Monday, January 16, 2023, our family received some clarity. Our son Alexander turns 2 in March but a part of me has known since he was an infant. I was told I was overreacting. I was told that he was just a baby, and he will outgrow it. I was told that “he doesn’t seem that bad.” I was even told I was just finding reasons to worry.

But somehow, I knew that being my son’s advocate and his voice was more important than just bringing my concerns to his doctor just once. Every day I watch him learn to be a playful, curious, and persistent little boy, and every day the urge to find answers grew on me. And on that day – of January 16, his doctor confirmed all my suspicions and my deepest fears all at once. He was diagnosed with Level 3 ASD; in Ontario, Canada it is also known as Level A (the highest level on the spectrum).

At that moment I was hoping, I was just overreacting, that he was just a baby, and he will outgrow it, that “he actually didn’t seem that bad” or that I was just finding reasons to worry. Except… I was told I was right. I immediately started to grieve who I thought my son could have been. I mourned at the fact that I felt like he was going to be stripped of a normal functioning life.

However, I didn’t realize his authentically autistic-self, IS his normal and that he IS living HIS normal functioning life. Every day he wakes up and takes a leap of faith into OUR world and forces himself to catch up. Every day he takes risks and tries to accomplish achievements that of a neuro typical child can achieve easily. Alexander; like many other autistic children face challenges over the most simple tasks that many of us take for granted.

Therefore, as his parents; we’re taking our own leap of faith by asking for support to have him continue to be the playful, curious, persistent boy he is. We wish to be able to provide him with assistance he needs to flourish at his own pace while everyone around his becomes kind to his mind.

Although there are government funded programs that can assist us and allow us as parents to be equipped with the right knowledge for raising an autistic child, the therapy that has been suggested to us by his developmental paediatrician: Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI), is not funded and is only offered through pay-per-service specialists and or private care. This type of therapy has been quoted to us ranging from as little as $6,000 for 2 days a week for 12 weeks to $60,000 for 5 days for 24 weeks. He is only 2, we understand he is autistic for life.

“Fee for Service Options.” ErinoakKids, https://www.erinoakkids.ca/autism-services/fee-for-service-options.

Our hope is to be able to raise funds for his on-going support with specialists. While we remain on the waiting lists for government assistance for his programs, we are hoping that enrolling him into 1:1 sessions and daycare at an early stage will benefit his social development and God-willing, the rest of his development.

Our names are: Leslie, Andrew and Caitlyn and we thank everyone whole heartedly for any support you donate.