I don't even know where to start! I haven't been this excited in a while! We met with Ry's Disability Social Worker and his Infant Development Consultant today. Finally some direction!! So we have to wait a week to get a funding application form in the mail. This will get us our 22,000 dollars a year in funding for Reilly!! We get to use this money for him how we see fit! After we get the form we will contact some places that work on therapy for Reilly and we pick which place works best with our goals. These places work on ABA ( behaviour therapy), occupational therapy and speech pathology. Every place is different and works on different things so we will meet with them, have an interview and pick which ones we feel will help him the most. From there we will discuss the amount of therapy we feel is needed each week and what kind of therapy he will need. In a few weeks we will be meeting with the Clements Centre and work out a plan for Reilly how to help him. Unfortunately their are 1-2 yr waiting lists but at least we will have the funded therapy and get on a waiting list! We will still be able to work with his Infant Development Consultant on a consistent basis, which is wonderful because I cannot describe how amazing this woman has been to us. She's been a God send for Reilly. She has given us so much advice, support and encouragement.
We will also work on enrolling Reilly into preschool in the fall! I cannot believe its' actually that time for him already! Where did my baby Reilly go?? He will most likely go 2 half days a week. The amazing part is he will have a support worker, that is funded with him at all times at preschool!! Wow! We pay for the preschool but we feel very excited that he will have someone there to help him out.
We loaned a therapy swing for Reilly today from the Clements Centre. It's sole purpose is to calm Reilly down. Swinging helps relax and calm him down when he gets upset and worked up. It hooks to our ceiling which is perfect that we can take it down so he doesn't play with it on his own.
Today we took Reilly to a Sensory Room at the Clements Centre. It has special pillows, blankets, lights and toys for children with sensory issues. He LOVED it!!! It actually helped calm him down to transition him to the car to leave. An issue we've been struggling with very bad for a long time now. Were going to look into to getting him some of the similar toys, which luckily we can get for good prices anywhere, ie consignment shops, garage sales. They aren't any special toys for the most part. We can set up a tupperware container of toys for Reilly to help him at home! Also when we were there we put on a big set of headphones on him. The large yellow safety headsets. It helped him focus a bit more and he kept wanting to put them on! So we are going to buy him a pair when we go out he can put them on!
This is just the tip of the beginning of the journey for Reilly. Things are coming together and I could cry in excitment for him. Finally he can have his true self come out and he wont' struggle so hard. We've been anticipating this day for a long time. We've struggled so long to get some answers and direction. The look on Reilly's face today when he could finally just be himself was a dream come true to me. Finally I can see this therapy will work for him. I can see the hope. He may be different and not be able to do the things like other children and we may have ups and downs for a very long time but a day like today gave me hope that my prayers have been answered. He's such an amazing, happy, bright child and I feel so lucky to have him in my life. I wouldnt' change him for the world. Autism or not.
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