The right supports for a path to independence

Noah is a happy, bubbly kid who is about to turn 3. When Noah was about 1 year old, his parents, who also have an older son, noticed some red flags, so they decided to see a specialist to try and access some supports.

“We saw two paediatricians who evaluated Noah, but they didn’t give us much information. After being referred to many specialists to get tests for everything, from hearing to neurology, Noah got a diagnosis of severe autism, but we didn’t get many recommendations. I don’t know much about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), so it was challenging to start that journey,” says Danny, Noah’s dad. “It was hard not having the knowledge and not knowing where to go. We had a lot of doors closed in our face. Waitlists for any therapists were extremely long and we knew time was ticking as the sooner we got supports for Noah the more progress he would make.”

Danny was concerned about his child’s disability. He knew that the supports Noah needed would require serious financial sacrifices, which they were prepared to do.

Positive changes coming along

However, things started changing when earlier this year, a friend talked to Danny about Northcott Early Childhood. “We contacted Northcott and started the application process with NDIS to get supports for Noah. We started progressing with the help of Northcott NDIS early childhood Coordinator Emily to secure funding for Noah to access therapy.”

Noah now has a feeding therapist that comes to their home to support him with eating and drinking and has a mix of individual support and group therapy with other children. “Noah is getting used to this new routine and we are already seeing some small progress. He is more alert and aware of his surroundings, and the engagement has increased.”

His main goals at the moment are around communication, eye contact, eating and drinking.

“It’s great to feel that after a long time trying to get on the right path, we are now on track. We know the earlier we start, the better for Noah’s future. We feel this is the right place for him; he has the support networks he needs and is working towards becoming an independent individual.”