A few years ago a couple in our congregation received the difficult diagnosis of autism for their twin boys. A wonderful group of people at St. Paul's rallied together to raise funds for the expensive program into which the boys entered and the congregation and broader community were very generous. But the family realized that this kindness wouldn't be enough because programs and funding are so limited in Ontario. So, they packed up and moved to Alberta where support is much better. The mom, Stacey continues to be an activist for those living with autism.
The issue of funding has come to the forefront in Ontario again, as a mother who in concerned about her physical safety because of an aggressive autistic teen is seeking help. This has to be a lonely and, at times, desparate existence.We have heard a number of stories in recent months about "runners," autistic children who bolt their homes when they are out of sight for even a brief time. There was a tragic consequence for a Cape Breton boy last winter who died after getting lost in winter.
Do you know families dealing with autism? Should governments provide better support for autistic children?
3 comments:
Great topic, David. Our nine year old daughter (who regularly interrogates you during Children's Time during Sunday worship), was diagnosed in Kindergarten with severe ADHD and then last Christmas (during her Grade 4 year) with Asperger's Syndrome/Autism Spectrum. It's been a long journey with lots of frustration so far and we know there are lots to come.
We have so far been quite surprised with how much support there is through agencies like the Autism Society of Ontario, and how much work/funding is in place. While so far we have found Respite Care funding difficult to access due to it being income dependent, we have been able to access quite a number of services.
Like so many other areas, it sure would be nice to see more money in the system, but as usual, there are lots of competition for limited government resources.
My bigger concern, as a parent and a teacher (formerly of children with disabilities and Autism), is the decision to put put most funding into 1 treatment area - ABA/IBI. There are lots of other treatments out there and in my experience, people with Autism are not one size fits all, some treatments work well with some people, other people respond better to other forms. We should not be putting all resources into one basket!
I also have real concerns with the mother who got a lot of publicity last week, by embarassing a politician, who himself is the parent of a child with Autism. While its a good cause, that needs to be discussed more, don't get headlines by taking cheap shots at others who were just being honest!
Thank you for explaining your circumstances. It takes courage to do so, as it did for pupil to describe issues of mental health in her household a few days ago.
We all benefit from hearing what families who want the best for their children go through. You bring in aspects of the challenge of getting the best support.
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