WE HAVE OUR LIVES BACK
Brighter future for Jack after two years at AEIOU
A TOOWOOMBA mum has praised the Toowoomba AEIOU Foundation for saving her family and helping her son towards a brighter future. Liz O’Dea said her son Jack, who is enrolled at the autism centre, was now preparing for school.
A TOOWOOMBA mum has praised a local autism service for saving her family and helping her son towards a brighter future.
Liz O’Dea said her son Jack was 18 months old when they first noticed a behavioural shift.
He would refuse to wear shoes, socks or jumpers, regardless of the temperature, and was often hyperactive.
At night he would wake, screaming with terror, and during the day he would become distressed and have meltdowns.
In 2016, the family moved from Darwin to Toowoomba to be closer to family, and it was here that Jack was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 2.
“It was the best and worst day of our lives, I walked outside and burst into tears,” Ms O’Dea said.
“It was a relief because we were in a bad place, but we also understood that his whole world would be different and things would be harder for him.”
Jack was working with an occupational therapist and making slow progress when the family decided to take a risk and enrol him at the Toowoomba AEIOU centre, a decision that would ultimately transform his life.
“It was a huge decision to make another change,” Ms O’Dea said.
“By the time we got (to the foundation) we were desperate and very frightened.”
Ms O’Dea said although the first day was difficult, Jack soon settled in.
After struggling to speak, Jack recorded two pages of words within his first two weeks at the centre.
“As the months went by, I realised we had gone to the shopping centre and he had held my hand and hadn’t tried to run off,” Ms O’Dea said.
“They helped us to work on the socks and shoes, the girls got him to wear them and he realised he was warmer. It was these small victories that helped us to keep going.
“His meltdowns all but stopped, the night terrors left us and he blossomed.”
Ms O’Dea said it was an emotional moment when he first said, “I love you”.
Jack has spent two years at the centre and is preparing to transition into the school system, starting with prep next year.
“These things could have never happened without the hard work of the AEIOU Toowoomba staff, their care and support,” she said.
“They helped us to understand how his brain worked we got answers.
“Quite simply they saved us and we can never thank them enough.”
AEIOU Toowoomba Service Manager Sandy Peachey said the centre’s success was due to its research-based curriculum.
“We look after children from the ages of two to six who sit on the Autism Spectrum,” Ms Peachey said.
“We have a specific curriculum written for the children. We identify any deficits the children might have and then we can teach them directly.”
Ms Peachey said Jack’s growth at the centre had “been a delight”.
“I remember those rough first days and he’s come so far,” she said. “When he first arrived he was shut up in his own little world. Now we’re seeing Jack as Jack now and it’s wonderful.”
The centre will host an open day on September 25, for families, parents and carers. For more information, or to register, visit aeiou.org.au/ open-days or phone 1300 273 435.