Elijah's Therapy for Autism
Donation protected
Hello everybody,
We want to take a moment of your time to introduce our beloved child Elijah! He is a beautiful (we are bias here!), vivacious four year old child. Since the tender age of two he has been officially diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum (Medium to Severe). Even though we had our suspicions, our sister -who has a child with autism, kept pointing things at us, the delivery of the news by a Psychologist couldn’t have been more heart breaking for us to know the challenges that lay ahead for our family. Added to the heart break was the constant complaining at his daycare for his uncommon and challenging behaviour. We tried to reach every governmental institution and to speed things, as per the CLSC advice, we had Elijah tested privately at our own expense and moved him to a specialized daycare.
With government waiting lists up to 2 years just for evaluations and another 2 additional years for a specialized educator to come at Daycare from the CRDITED (6 to 8 hours a week only!), we know we have to move fast. Elijah requires desperately Intensive Behaviour Intervention that will prepare him to enter school before the age of 6.
Tired and frustrated of waiting for governmental assistance programs, we decided to go the private route for we understood that it is essential for children on the spectrum to receive services as soon as possible. Their brain develops really fast and therapy is key to ensure Elijah will develop the abilities to function in society. However, nothing had prepared us for the financial burden it meant because of the lack of funded services in our province of Quebec. We don’t even qualify for Provincial subsidies since he is not deemed severely handicaped!
Up to this date, we have fully covered Elijah’s three last intensives at a specialized clinic in the United States. At Therapeeds, he receives behaviour, speech, sound intervention and sensory motor therapy. These intensives are programed for 3 to 6 weeks and since it is out of our province, the price is really high (and he will need at least four more). The foreseen cost for the upcoming one is 30,000 Canadian. Our next intensive date is April 17, to June 2, 2017. Our family members are kindly providing for our stay and transportation expenses.
At this moment, we have exhausted our financial resources and we humbly ask you for whatever contributions you may be able to help Elijah with. We know we cannot make this journey alone.
On a great note, the progress Elijah has made since his intensive in November-December 2016 is extraordinary. In the past intensives, they had worked language and logical thinking. He was initially unable to follow directions or respond to his name consistently, there was no eye contact or interest in peers. He was unaware of danger and will easily run away. Since then, he has made important gains! He is able to go out with us and walk side to side unassisted without taking off! He is able to maintain his eye contact and follow two commands. His knowledge of vocabulary is appropriate for his age.
In this last intensive, they focused on how to use the skills he had previously acquired appropriately and in everyday situations along with creative thinking, imagination, etc. One key component: understanding non-verbal communication. He has gone from naming the “thing” to being able to see how the thing relates to the big picture!
The list of goals for the upcoming intensive is long but after his last one, he has truly started to come out of his shell! He is expressing himself a lot more and appropriately! He is able to initiate contact with peers, play pretend and is a lot easier to deal with, however, he still has a lot to overcome. He is still struggling to keep attention, to answer questions which he knows the answer for, to communicate effectively and stop some of the repetitive talk and behaviours. Today we see a ray of light, in every facet of his life at home and at daycare, we have hope!
We love to see these changes but we are also painfully aware that this is just the beginning of his journey. Please help us free Elijah from the prison of Autism!!!
We are extremely thankful to all of you for everything, especially to Jacques Tanguay, Maria Jacobo, Ana Tam, Julia Harper and the Therapeeds staff , Caroline Morin and Ms. Ana Fargnoli -Garderie Mela. Also, thank you Gift Tshuma for your artistry and advice!
Elijah can not make it without your love and support,
thanks from the bottom of our hearts,
Sincerely,
Spiro and Veronica
We want to take a moment of your time to introduce our beloved child Elijah! He is a beautiful (we are bias here!), vivacious four year old child. Since the tender age of two he has been officially diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum (Medium to Severe). Even though we had our suspicions, our sister -who has a child with autism, kept pointing things at us, the delivery of the news by a Psychologist couldn’t have been more heart breaking for us to know the challenges that lay ahead for our family. Added to the heart break was the constant complaining at his daycare for his uncommon and challenging behaviour. We tried to reach every governmental institution and to speed things, as per the CLSC advice, we had Elijah tested privately at our own expense and moved him to a specialized daycare.
With government waiting lists up to 2 years just for evaluations and another 2 additional years for a specialized educator to come at Daycare from the CRDITED (6 to 8 hours a week only!), we know we have to move fast. Elijah requires desperately Intensive Behaviour Intervention that will prepare him to enter school before the age of 6.
Tired and frustrated of waiting for governmental assistance programs, we decided to go the private route for we understood that it is essential for children on the spectrum to receive services as soon as possible. Their brain develops really fast and therapy is key to ensure Elijah will develop the abilities to function in society. However, nothing had prepared us for the financial burden it meant because of the lack of funded services in our province of Quebec. We don’t even qualify for Provincial subsidies since he is not deemed severely handicaped!
Up to this date, we have fully covered Elijah’s three last intensives at a specialized clinic in the United States. At Therapeeds, he receives behaviour, speech, sound intervention and sensory motor therapy. These intensives are programed for 3 to 6 weeks and since it is out of our province, the price is really high (and he will need at least four more). The foreseen cost for the upcoming one is 30,000 Canadian. Our next intensive date is April 17, to June 2, 2017. Our family members are kindly providing for our stay and transportation expenses.
At this moment, we have exhausted our financial resources and we humbly ask you for whatever contributions you may be able to help Elijah with. We know we cannot make this journey alone.
On a great note, the progress Elijah has made since his intensive in November-December 2016 is extraordinary. In the past intensives, they had worked language and logical thinking. He was initially unable to follow directions or respond to his name consistently, there was no eye contact or interest in peers. He was unaware of danger and will easily run away. Since then, he has made important gains! He is able to go out with us and walk side to side unassisted without taking off! He is able to maintain his eye contact and follow two commands. His knowledge of vocabulary is appropriate for his age.
In this last intensive, they focused on how to use the skills he had previously acquired appropriately and in everyday situations along with creative thinking, imagination, etc. One key component: understanding non-verbal communication. He has gone from naming the “thing” to being able to see how the thing relates to the big picture!
The list of goals for the upcoming intensive is long but after his last one, he has truly started to come out of his shell! He is expressing himself a lot more and appropriately! He is able to initiate contact with peers, play pretend and is a lot easier to deal with, however, he still has a lot to overcome. He is still struggling to keep attention, to answer questions which he knows the answer for, to communicate effectively and stop some of the repetitive talk and behaviours. Today we see a ray of light, in every facet of his life at home and at daycare, we have hope!
We love to see these changes but we are also painfully aware that this is just the beginning of his journey. Please help us free Elijah from the prison of Autism!!!
We are extremely thankful to all of you for everything, especially to Jacques Tanguay, Maria Jacobo, Ana Tam, Julia Harper and the Therapeeds staff , Caroline Morin and Ms. Ana Fargnoli -Garderie Mela. Also, thank you Gift Tshuma for your artistry and advice!
Elijah can not make it without your love and support,
thanks from the bottom of our hearts,
Sincerely,
Spiro and Veronica
Organizer
Spiro Feradouros
Organizer
Quebec