Lionhearted Leo
Donation protected
https://instagram.com/moniqueliesl
All for our lionhearted Leo.
A is for Autism.
A is also for AMAZING, and that is exactly what our lionhearted Leo is.
He is ever so cheeky, ridiculously silly, very affectionate and incredibly perceptive.
In December 2018, Leo was diagnosed with Level 3 (Severe), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with global developmental delay - non verbal.
Leo is not defined by his Autism and he is SO MUCH MORE than a diagnosis.
We don’t want to change him.
We want to give him the best chance possible for growth, learning, independence and social skills to help make things a little easier for him and his future.
Leo has been attending an incredible place called The Child Development Institute (previously known as Footprints) that practises a therapy called Early Start Denver Model (ESDM).
It is a multidisciplinary therapy that is all play lead by Leo, and is one of the only evidence based therapies for Autism.
He is responding incredibly well to it and has been making the most incredible progress.
Leo currently attends:
2 x ESDM group therapy sessions per week
1 x one on one ESDM clinic session per week
1 x shadowing therapy session per week.
This is where his therapist goes into his mainstream daycare to help Leo with his social skills and development.
A huge reason for his progress is the consistency and the INTENSIVE and EARLY intervention part of it all.
With Leo’s diagnosis and severity, unfortunately he won’t progress enough with just occupational therapy and speech therapy per week, which is why we chose ESDM intensively.
Leo needs stronger foundations in other areas, before speech therapy would even be worthwhile or help him in any way, so ESDM is helping him form those foundations.
Leo’s current age (3) is also proven to be the age where children with ASD have the most success and make the most progress, which is another reason we chose an intensive therapy option for him.
To stop or cut back on even one of these sessions per week risks a huge decline to Leo’s progress and will affect Leo’s future significantly.
Leo now holds hands outside, he sits down for 5 mins to eat his lunch, he can walk down stairs, he can climb ladder steps onto a slide, his eye contact is excellent, he’s engaging so well and his communication cues are improving.
However, he has so far to go and needs so much more help.
As parents, we have completed a Parent Capacity building workshop and are completing parent coaching classes. We have also started to set up our house to support Leo’s therapy in a home environment as we know we’ll more than likely have to cut down on his therapies ASAP.
Now to why we’re on gofundme.
Leo was on a 3 month NDIS intensive trial plan that covered all of these therapy sessions per week. We applied for the same amount for the next 12 months with progress and evidence reports showing (in spades) Leo’s progress and how stopping this at any level would be detrimental to his progress and his future.
Whoever the person was that decided Leo’s funding amount, didn’t see a child’s future.
They just saw dollars and clearly didn’t understand the ESDM model or look at the evidence to support this therapy and it’s incredible outcomes for so many children on the spectrum.
Leo’s NDIS funding for the next 12 months came in $24,000 less than what we needed.
We are gutted.
We have submitted an internal review, but this takes an average of 6 months, and there is still no guarantee any extra funding will be approved.
So as fate would have it... here we are.
Hearts on our sleeves, asking for help.
We’ve dipped into every last cent of savings, i’m selling my beautiful engagement ring, but even then it’s still not enough.
We’re just trying to figure it all out.
I mean, you know the drill. As a parent you sacrifice everything for your children, you hustle and fight hard, because all you want is the best for them.
There is nothing on earth more important than our children’s future.
So heres to you Leo and that beautiful lionheart of yours.
Thank you to anyone and everyone, it means the world and then some.
Monique, Rob, Riley & Leo xo
All for our lionhearted Leo.
A is for Autism.
A is also for AMAZING, and that is exactly what our lionhearted Leo is.
He is ever so cheeky, ridiculously silly, very affectionate and incredibly perceptive.
In December 2018, Leo was diagnosed with Level 3 (Severe), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with global developmental delay - non verbal.
Leo is not defined by his Autism and he is SO MUCH MORE than a diagnosis.
We don’t want to change him.
We want to give him the best chance possible for growth, learning, independence and social skills to help make things a little easier for him and his future.
Leo has been attending an incredible place called The Child Development Institute (previously known as Footprints) that practises a therapy called Early Start Denver Model (ESDM).
It is a multidisciplinary therapy that is all play lead by Leo, and is one of the only evidence based therapies for Autism.
He is responding incredibly well to it and has been making the most incredible progress.
Leo currently attends:
2 x ESDM group therapy sessions per week
1 x one on one ESDM clinic session per week
1 x shadowing therapy session per week.
This is where his therapist goes into his mainstream daycare to help Leo with his social skills and development.
A huge reason for his progress is the consistency and the INTENSIVE and EARLY intervention part of it all.
With Leo’s diagnosis and severity, unfortunately he won’t progress enough with just occupational therapy and speech therapy per week, which is why we chose ESDM intensively.
Leo needs stronger foundations in other areas, before speech therapy would even be worthwhile or help him in any way, so ESDM is helping him form those foundations.
Leo’s current age (3) is also proven to be the age where children with ASD have the most success and make the most progress, which is another reason we chose an intensive therapy option for him.
To stop or cut back on even one of these sessions per week risks a huge decline to Leo’s progress and will affect Leo’s future significantly.
Leo now holds hands outside, he sits down for 5 mins to eat his lunch, he can walk down stairs, he can climb ladder steps onto a slide, his eye contact is excellent, he’s engaging so well and his communication cues are improving.
However, he has so far to go and needs so much more help.
As parents, we have completed a Parent Capacity building workshop and are completing parent coaching classes. We have also started to set up our house to support Leo’s therapy in a home environment as we know we’ll more than likely have to cut down on his therapies ASAP.
Now to why we’re on gofundme.
Leo was on a 3 month NDIS intensive trial plan that covered all of these therapy sessions per week. We applied for the same amount for the next 12 months with progress and evidence reports showing (in spades) Leo’s progress and how stopping this at any level would be detrimental to his progress and his future.
Whoever the person was that decided Leo’s funding amount, didn’t see a child’s future.
They just saw dollars and clearly didn’t understand the ESDM model or look at the evidence to support this therapy and it’s incredible outcomes for so many children on the spectrum.
Leo’s NDIS funding for the next 12 months came in $24,000 less than what we needed.
We are gutted.
We have submitted an internal review, but this takes an average of 6 months, and there is still no guarantee any extra funding will be approved.
So as fate would have it... here we are.
Hearts on our sleeves, asking for help.
We’ve dipped into every last cent of savings, i’m selling my beautiful engagement ring, but even then it’s still not enough.
We’re just trying to figure it all out.
I mean, you know the drill. As a parent you sacrifice everything for your children, you hustle and fight hard, because all you want is the best for them.
There is nothing on earth more important than our children’s future.
So heres to you Leo and that beautiful lionheart of yours.
Thank you to anyone and everyone, it means the world and then some.
Monique, Rob, Riley & Leo xo
Organizer
Monique Donath
Organizer
Rouse Hill, NSW