Autism & Educating Our Son
Donation protected
From the very beginning of our third adoption, we knew that our new boy was different. We suspected Autism in the early years but our concerns were swept aside by the professionals.
As they years passed, our boy and our family struggled daily. Hour by hour, day by day. Getting no help for our boy in the city, we decided to move rural, hoping this would be what he would need.
Fast forward to early winter 2016 and things started to spiral out of control...meds aren't working, our boy, now 14, is drowning in anxiety and violent outbursts common in Autism every single minute of every single day. The school psychologist does a PsychoEducational Assessment then calls me. She tells me that without a doubt our boy is severely Autistic but verbal. This is when we decide that we HAVE to move back to the city at the end of the school year to access the programs and services our boy and our family so desperately needs.
But, in the meantime, referrals take forever and on March 6, 2017, our boy is hospitalized in the city and transferred to an adolescent program, for a minimum of 3 weeks. The program is to get some psychiatric help with new medications for anxiety & outbursts and connections with supports we so desperately need.
A one income family (I haven't been able to return to work since his adoption due to the daily demands of his disability) with a Dad that works himself to the bone 6-7 days a week to provide for his family. We are struggling financially big time. We've realized that this move may have to come way sooner than we anticipated to keep our boy safe and healthy and keep our family together.
A private school for children with Autism looks to be our only real chance at helping our boy meet his potential. But with yearly tuition being $12,000...we'll that's why I'm here.
Finishing out the school year at the Autism school will be approximately $3800...then next year will be $12,000 for the year.
Can anyone help us out??
As they years passed, our boy and our family struggled daily. Hour by hour, day by day. Getting no help for our boy in the city, we decided to move rural, hoping this would be what he would need.
Fast forward to early winter 2016 and things started to spiral out of control...meds aren't working, our boy, now 14, is drowning in anxiety and violent outbursts common in Autism every single minute of every single day. The school psychologist does a PsychoEducational Assessment then calls me. She tells me that without a doubt our boy is severely Autistic but verbal. This is when we decide that we HAVE to move back to the city at the end of the school year to access the programs and services our boy and our family so desperately needs.
But, in the meantime, referrals take forever and on March 6, 2017, our boy is hospitalized in the city and transferred to an adolescent program, for a minimum of 3 weeks. The program is to get some psychiatric help with new medications for anxiety & outbursts and connections with supports we so desperately need.
A one income family (I haven't been able to return to work since his adoption due to the daily demands of his disability) with a Dad that works himself to the bone 6-7 days a week to provide for his family. We are struggling financially big time. We've realized that this move may have to come way sooner than we anticipated to keep our boy safe and healthy and keep our family together.
A private school for children with Autism looks to be our only real chance at helping our boy meet his potential. But with yearly tuition being $12,000...we'll that's why I'm here.
Finishing out the school year at the Autism school will be approximately $3800...then next year will be $12,000 for the year.
Can anyone help us out??
Organizer
Leanne Johnson
Organizer
High River, AB