Even Christmas, a time that should be filled with joy, was fraught with challenges for Logan and his family.
“Logan got very overwhelmed when the whole family was together in one house, to the point where we had to go outside or sit in an empty room. One Christmas, he didn’t want to come out of the room, and we had to leave.” said Jess, Logan's Mum.
Logan was just 21 months old when he was diagnosed on the autism spectrum and since he began therapy with Aspect, the changes his parents have seen in him are incredible. This year he will be able to enjoy Christmas with his family.
But for many Australian families, the financial commitment of having an early diagnosis assessment for their child is simply out of reach.
When you help a child on the autism spectrum receive an early diagnosis, you help them start a new chapter. Please make a donation today and remove the financial barriers to a child receiving an early diagnosis.
Logan's mum knew there was something making life difficult for him from a very early age.
“At first we thought he was deaf,” said Logan's mum, Ashlee. “He wouldn't respond to anything. He wouldn't wave, he wasn't affectionate. We found that everyday tasks were making him agitated or distressed."
For Ashlee and Jess, Logan’s diagnosis at 21 months old was the first step towards having the tools and information they needed to create a less stressful environment for their little boy. The diagnosis also made Logan eligible for NDIS funding for fortnightly sessions with an Aspect Occupational Therapist and a Speech Therapist.
Logan began specialist therapy at three years old, and with regular sessions, his development rapidly improved. In the years that followed, he attended an Aspect school where he benefited from the expertise and attention of a specialist teacher.
Through therapy and school, Logan developed the strategies he needed to regulate his
emotions. Aspect also assisted Ashlee and Jess to create an environment that best supported their son’s needs, using tools such as visual boards and therapy equipment.
“We incorporate these things into his daily routine,” Ashlee says. “Logan gets up in the morning and looks at his visual board. He knows what he’s going to do today. We have a lot of pictures in the house, so Logan knows where to find things. We also use a timer clock so that he can be prepared for when something is about to finish. All these things massively reduce Logan’s anxiety and help keep him regulated.”
In Logan’s second year of Aspect therapy, he achieved an incredible long-term goal: he attended his first Disney on Ice show.
"We had front row tickets in 2016, but when the show started, it was too much. Logan had a meltdown and we had to leave – it was a heartbreaking moment. But when we attended with Logan’s Aspect Occupational Therapist in 2019, it was a completely different experience – he didn’t stop singing and dancing the entire show. Jess and I both burst into tears. We were so happy our little boy was now able to enjoy something any big Disney fan could.”
Since then, Logan and his family have enjoyed many more special moments together, such as going to the movies, day trips to Sydney and even a family holiday at Movie World on the Gold Coast.
For Jess and Ashlee, the transformation they have seen in their little boy is incredible and it’s all because Logan's early diagnosis gave them access to early childhood therapies which helped him progress to an Aspect school.
Every day counts. Every dollar counts.
For children like Logan access to an early diagnosis can be life-changing. A monthly, tax-deductible donation can help ensure that families don’t miss out on the vital services they need - it could even protect their education by providing an Aspect school sponsorship.
Every donation from our powerful community of supporters will contribute towards our goal of creating a world where no one on the autism spectrum is left behind.
