Hello friends, I am here to humbly ask for any donations or if u could pass on the link to the gofundme to someone u think might b able to donate, for Sparrow for the following reasons:

Recently, Sparrow was diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) which is a motor skills disorder that occurs when a delay in the development of motor skills, or difficulty coordinating movements, results in a child being unable to perform common, everyday tasks. DCD affects his fine and gross motor abilities so while he is reading at a level above his peers he struggles with holding a pencil, writing letters, and drawing objects as well as learning to ride a bike and other gross motor skill related activities.

Portions of OT diagnosis

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NFpRa_FAJVYtp7_F-MHmKjRWOLtI4yFmt22A1UNm_bk/edit?tab=t.0

Interventions delivered and modelled for myself and a BI are essential through the hiring of an OT, they cost about 200 an hour as they are highly specialized clinicians, and do a job that no one else can, as is the case for SLPs. The assessment which I selected key portions from actually cost 3,000 dollars for about 2 hours. Just an example of the cost of these very specialized clinicians.

So, similarly we need to employ an SLP, (150 to 200 an hr) to continue to receive interventions that target sensory social issues which change as a child enters new phases of development.

Portions of SLP report
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dpPU67ZMkVOk48jvGrWwNlIR2QqNHAtUNosQ0hAfob4/edit?tab=t.0

BC has an amazing early intervention program, however it goes from 22,000 a year until they are 7, at which point it drops to 6000.

In Ontario there is a 7 year waiting list for coverage of clinical interventions,

In Alberta the wait list is 3 years

Manitoba offers no money for therapies

Saskatchewan offers 6000 but after a lengthy wait, and they are cut off at age 11.

Nova Scotia and Maritime provinces have essentially no funding for parents to hire clinicians after age 6. The only money they have is under the label of 'respite funding' which Is supposed to provide parents some time to decompress, and not to hire clinicians or home visit therapies.

Shockingly, half of families are denied and this CBC expose explains why:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/direct-family-support-children-funding-autistic-kids-1.7174288

Sparrow was denied and I was told he could be on a 3 year wait list for a psych evaluation to see if his IQ falls below 70, despite the fact that IQ has been debunked.

I include some articles that I found when researching these conditions because they show that the critera is simply wrong. I suppose it has to do with money, like everything does, I have met and spoken to many desperate worried families in the Maritimes. One mom described services here as 'a hellscape'.

https://www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/the-blurred-line-between-autism-and-intellectual-disability/

https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-vs-intellectual-disability/

https://asatonline.org/research-treatment/clinical-corner/relationship-autism-and-intellectual-disability/

https://research.chop.edu/car-autism-roadmap/intellectual-disability-and-asd

All parents want the very best for their children. We do anything to try to give them the tools they need to navigate the world.

According to studies, the experiences of families (in particular mothers and single mothers) involves a level of stress comparable to people engaged in war zone conflicts.

I do not enjoy doing it but I have to ask for help at this time, as it will provide temporary but useful in the long term, intensive therapies and the information I need to deliver them myself.

Here are a couple of links to the studies I mentioned, helpful for understanding the situation for families (mothers) in mine ( not in any way meant to suggest that it is not also a joyful and unmatched experience to have my unique child).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6418028/

https://www.findingcoopersvoice.com/2019/04/19/stress-levels-of-parents-of-autistic-children-comparable-to-combat-soldiers/

Whichever province we end up in, significant financial limitations are a reality now that he is of school age, and that is why I am hoping to reach this financial goal. We cannot fund endlessly but it can be used to its best advantage as I have a lot of experience now with funding allotment for ultimate outcomes.

Thank you for taking the time, I am so happy to have my beautiful son, and just like all parents I will do what I have to to help him in his future life.

xo rose