Help Emilio! Autism Therapy Fund
Donation protected
Let me introduce you to Emilio. My absolutely precious son who just turned 4 in March. Emilio is bright, funny, genuinely happy and brings me so much joy. Perfect in my eyes and many others, but let me tell you a secret about my little one Emilio that I have kept from so many. Emilio has just recently been “officially“ diagnosed with this neurodevelopmental disorder we call Autism.
For those that are unfamiliar with the disorder please see the link below:
https://autismawarenesscentre. com/definition-autism/
Children like Emilio can realize their full potential with the proper intensive training. To be effective, therapy must commence before the age of five. Sadly, and ironically limited resources are available to Emilio at age five, one year too late, for a precious boy who has so much to contribute with his love, and his way about things. Emilio has an absolutely brilliant mind!
He knows his numbers, letters, shapes and colours, and can even write his numbers and letters with no help at all. Unfortunately he cannot request a glass of water when he’s thirsty, ask for food if he’s hungry or let anyone know if he needs anything at all!
Emilio’s social behaviour is awkward at best. He doesn’t understand what is and what isn’t appropriate. He is sometimes difficult, thoughtless and not cooperative. He is also a “runner”, so you need to ensure you have a hand on him at all times as he has no sense of fear (he doesn’t understand that he can get hit by a car). He can have severe meltdowns as he does not deal well with any transitions (you can imagine what leaving the park or sometimes even just leaving the house can look like). Lack of language and communication does not help, which brings on more meltdowns as he can’t express what is bothering him so this is the best way for him to act out. In saying that, Emilio also needs speech therapy (he didn’t start saying single words until he was 3 years of age). He is also not yet potty trained, and that is just another difficulty in children with Autism. He is now at a critical age where his brain is developing quickly and he will flourish in the therapy.
The bottom line is that he needs therapies; Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) and Speech. He needs it ASAP! I am a widow, and mother of two who has always been financially independent and very hard working. The therapy Emilio needs is beyond what I can offer financially. My "ask" is that you believe in Emilio as much as I do and that you invest in his future. Your contribution in Emilio will make a significant difference in this little boy's life. Your support will give him a fighting chance to reach his full potential. This is the reason I am reaching out to ask for financial help. Emilio currently sits on a very long wait-list here in Ontario for any help, and it will be many months before that will even happen. We cannot afford to wait any longer! We waited months to get the “official” diagnosis which I had to push for, and now that we finally have the official diagnosis, we now have to once again wait. I have to get him into those therapies now in order to get him the best that he can be, before he turns 5. This will help him function in society at a “somewhat” normal level.
Speech Therapies are at $120 per hour (5 times per week is $600), and IBI Therapy is at $41 per hour (@ 20 hours per week is $820 per week), essentially $1,400K per week for the therapies. Until I receive funding (both government and personal) this is completely unattainable for me. The $28K goal (which really does sound like an outrageous amount to set as a goal), will be enough to get Emilio into the proper therapy for the next 20 weeks (and all before he reaches 5), and not that the therapies will stop after the 20 weeks or before he turns 5, but they will be in lesser amounts (days per week and hours), ideally getting him blended into school properly.
There are currently a couple of spaces available for him at a location close to where I work which would be very ideal, I would love to enroll him right away. I cannot do that without reaching out to all of you who are reading this (which feels so odd for me). I am turning to all of you to ask for help from our loved ones, friends, friends of friends and acquaintances, anyone who feels touched by Emilio’s story and would like to help out. Every little bit counts, even if it means getting him there 1 more day per week to start.
Any help at all (including prayers and sharing Emilio’s story with your friends and your own social network to spread the word) will be sincerely appreciated and would mean a lot to my family. We thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts for any and all that you can do for us. God Bless!
For those that are unfamiliar with the disorder please see the link below:
https://autismawarenesscentre. com/definition-autism/
Children like Emilio can realize their full potential with the proper intensive training. To be effective, therapy must commence before the age of five. Sadly, and ironically limited resources are available to Emilio at age five, one year too late, for a precious boy who has so much to contribute with his love, and his way about things. Emilio has an absolutely brilliant mind!
He knows his numbers, letters, shapes and colours, and can even write his numbers and letters with no help at all. Unfortunately he cannot request a glass of water when he’s thirsty, ask for food if he’s hungry or let anyone know if he needs anything at all!
Emilio’s social behaviour is awkward at best. He doesn’t understand what is and what isn’t appropriate. He is sometimes difficult, thoughtless and not cooperative. He is also a “runner”, so you need to ensure you have a hand on him at all times as he has no sense of fear (he doesn’t understand that he can get hit by a car). He can have severe meltdowns as he does not deal well with any transitions (you can imagine what leaving the park or sometimes even just leaving the house can look like). Lack of language and communication does not help, which brings on more meltdowns as he can’t express what is bothering him so this is the best way for him to act out. In saying that, Emilio also needs speech therapy (he didn’t start saying single words until he was 3 years of age). He is also not yet potty trained, and that is just another difficulty in children with Autism. He is now at a critical age where his brain is developing quickly and he will flourish in the therapy.
The bottom line is that he needs therapies; Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) and Speech. He needs it ASAP! I am a widow, and mother of two who has always been financially independent and very hard working. The therapy Emilio needs is beyond what I can offer financially. My "ask" is that you believe in Emilio as much as I do and that you invest in his future. Your contribution in Emilio will make a significant difference in this little boy's life. Your support will give him a fighting chance to reach his full potential. This is the reason I am reaching out to ask for financial help. Emilio currently sits on a very long wait-list here in Ontario for any help, and it will be many months before that will even happen. We cannot afford to wait any longer! We waited months to get the “official” diagnosis which I had to push for, and now that we finally have the official diagnosis, we now have to once again wait. I have to get him into those therapies now in order to get him the best that he can be, before he turns 5. This will help him function in society at a “somewhat” normal level.
Speech Therapies are at $120 per hour (5 times per week is $600), and IBI Therapy is at $41 per hour (@ 20 hours per week is $820 per week), essentially $1,400K per week for the therapies. Until I receive funding (both government and personal) this is completely unattainable for me. The $28K goal (which really does sound like an outrageous amount to set as a goal), will be enough to get Emilio into the proper therapy for the next 20 weeks (and all before he reaches 5), and not that the therapies will stop after the 20 weeks or before he turns 5, but they will be in lesser amounts (days per week and hours), ideally getting him blended into school properly.
There are currently a couple of spaces available for him at a location close to where I work which would be very ideal, I would love to enroll him right away. I cannot do that without reaching out to all of you who are reading this (which feels so odd for me). I am turning to all of you to ask for help from our loved ones, friends, friends of friends and acquaintances, anyone who feels touched by Emilio’s story and would like to help out. Every little bit counts, even if it means getting him there 1 more day per week to start.
Any help at all (including prayers and sharing Emilio’s story with your friends and your own social network to spread the word) will be sincerely appreciated and would mean a lot to my family. We thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts for any and all that you can do for us. God Bless!
Organizer
Susanne Pappas-Menendez
Organizer
North York, ON