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It takes two...
For Renee and Shane, seeing the light at the end of a long and dark tunnel provides vindication for some difficult decisions they made during challenging times.
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Faced with the news that twin sons Jett and Blu had severe speech and language disorders, they made two significant choices that have ultimately resulted in the boys receiving the best possible treatment
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The first big decision was to quit their jobs so that they could home-school their three kids (older sister Milanija is in Year 6) and focus on providing the additional supports needed by Jett and Blu. The second decision was to apply for the boys to attend Telethon Speech & Hearing’s (TSH) Talkabout program, where they would receive intensive speech and language support for two days a week, supplemented by at-home support strategies incorporated into their home schooling.
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Thankfully, the boys each received a scholarship from Telethon Speech & Hearing (TSH), meaning that finances were no barrier to them receiving the help they desperately needed.
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“Since the twins were born, it has been such a hectic time,” explained mum Renee. “The demand was so great and we also had Melania, who was six at the time. My parents weren’t well either and it all felt so overwhelming.”
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It was while the family was attending an event at Milanija's school that a teacher friend first noticed the language delay in the two-year-old twins.
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“I was shocked,” explains Renee. “I knew that they weren’t big talkers, but I put that down them being twins and having their own form of communication. My first instinct was to be defensive, but the fact that I was so defensive alarmed me and I took them to Child Health to see a speech therapist.
“The speech therapist confirmed that they had only about 10 words each and were barely understandable. Fortunately, a friend’s mother donated some money to us and we were able to take the boys to private practitioners, but we still weren’t getting any answers and we were starting to get desperate.
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It was Renee’s mother who urged them to contact TSH, having seen adverts highlighting the organisation’s services in the newspaper.
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“We came in and had an assessment,” says Renee. “The results weren’t good – the boys’ speech disorder was as severe as could be. They couldn’t even mimic sounds.
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“We were so lucky to receive scholarships for Talkabout 3 (T3). We knew from the start that we were in good hands and, to be honest, kicked ourselves for not coming in earlier. TSH never made us feel under pressure, they always assured us that this was their job, but that we as parents still had a role to play.
“I can’t even imagine what it would be like if we hadn’t received the scholarships,” explains Renee. “With our situation at home there was no way my children would have been able to get the early intervention they did. They would still have been so far behind their peers, in speech and their education.
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“It would have had a profound effect on their futures. The scholarships given to TSH to support the amazing experts they have here don’t just impact the children. They impact families and society as a whole.
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The progress that boys have made gives Renee hope that everything is going to work out right in the end.
“The boys do still need support, and attend one-on-one speech therapy at TSH, but we are much closer to them being at the same level as their peers now,” she says. “I think within a year or two they will be fine.
“Our boys’ confidence has grown so much and it is amazing to see it. They are going to be ok - and I wouldn’t have been confident saying that before they started at TSH. Now, I watch my boys having conversations with others and being understood. For a long time, we would have to step in and help translate – but I guess now our job is to step back and let them talk.”
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Having come through so many challenges and setbacks, Renee has some advice for others starting on a similar journey. “Don’t hold back,” she says. “Step up, get on a waitlist. Move forward and move fast. Don’t be ashamed or take it on board, you’ve done nothing wrong. There is so much support out there.”
TSH would like to thank our generous donors who help make scholarships possible:
