Help Eli Get A New Smile - Dental and Legal Aid Needed

THE BELIEVE PROJECT

This is my grandson, Eli. He is the sweetest little boy! He has a bright future ahead of him, but he is going to need your help.

Eli has Autism, and social interactions were challenging and infrequent in his early years. He was not verbal until the last year or so, which made his early medical treatment, difficult. Now that he can interact and comprehend what is happening, we are raising money for some dental work that he desperately needs. Eli will have approximately 10 teeth extracted. The out of pocket fees for this procedure are roughly $10,000. While he is under anesthesia, the x-rays can be taken to determine if any additional treatment is needed for his underlying baby teeth. He will need to have frequent follow-up check-ups to make sure his soft teeth are not decaying further, or that his medication is also not impacting his tooth health.

Interesting fact: I asked the dentist how will Eli be able to eat if 10 teeth are pulled? The dentist assured me that not only will the gums heal fast and allow his permanent teeth to grow in, but that we might actually see an up-tick in the amount of food Eli eats. He could even gain weight! This is because the teeth that they are removing, are "ouchy" teeth that right now, cause Eli pain. So, all along, when we thought he had a selective palette, he was probably choosing to be picky about eating because his teeth were actually hurting. So, it is time to get those ouchy teeth out!

In addition to medical expenses, we are requesting help with his legal care and living expenses. Eli and my son now live with us, and my son has primary custody. There were many legal steps to get to this point. Eli is thriving now that he attends school regularly. He is also receiving speech therapy, occupational therapy, and will be soon participating in ABA, in the evenings.

Reading! Eli LOVES reading! Books are the first thing that he migrates to when he enters the classroom! Watch the uploaded video of him reciting Dr. Seuss! We picture him in the future, standing up in front of the classroom, reading out loud to everyone, and showing off his new pearly white teeth!

Why the BELIEVE project? In the middle of the word BELIEVE, is ELI. We believe ELI has such a bright future ahead. We look forward to seeing what wonder and joy he will spread to others!

Thank you for supporting Eli and the BELIEVE Project! Any amount helps with his medical and legal expenses, to get him the care he needs!