25 January, 2012
Getting to the root of a problem early can be the best way to assist children with disabilities. Doctor’s at Mater Hospital are working tirelessly to support children with a variety of disabilities.
Sabrina Anthony is one of the lucky children to receive support through the Helping Children with Autism and Better Start for Children with a Disability package. Her parents, Lisa and Phillip Anthony, credit the speech pathologists at Mater Health and Wellness with finding a new way for their daughter, who is autistic, to communicate.
“As Sabrina is completely non-verbal, our speech pathologist thought she would greatly benefit from daily access to an iPad. They helped us access funding under the Helping Children with Autism program to buy an iPad and the programs she needed.
“Sabrina now uses the iPad every day and we see the potential for it to open up so many opportunities for her to communicate as she grows up.”
Children who are under six years of age and have been diagnosed with particular afflictions are eligible to access early intervention funding to assist them in living their life to their full potential.
For further information on the Helping Children with Autism and Better Start for Children with a Disability packages visit www.fahcsia.gov.au or wellness.mater.org.au.
If you wish to help Mater provide funding to develop support programs or research better strategies to assist these tiny members of our community, purchase tickets in the latest Mater Prize Home lottery.