When fate steps in
Sometimes, a chance moment can change a life.
Or, in this case, three.
Qaison was booked in for surgery, where he had his tonsils removed, his adenoids treated and grommets put in. Unfortunately, the swift recovery that one often sees with children in these cases was not forthcoming.
“It was a wild ride with the grommets because he had really bad allergies, so the grommets would get blocked and often the ENTs couldn’t see the grommets to confirm if they were still in place,” says Ali.
Unfortunately, Qaison’s glue ear had also resulted in a severe speech and language delay and, unable to communicate his feelings, he began lashing out and becoming rough with his classmates.
Desperate to find a solution, Ali followed her father’s suggestion and, after meeting with TSH’s Family Liaison Officer Michelle Jamieson, was convinced that Talkabout was the right place for her son. Additionally, Qaison qualified for, and received, one of TSH’s annual scholarships.
For Ali Garton, her stroke of luck came when her father, who happened to be watching television, caught an advert for Telethon Speech & Hearing (TSH). Aware that his grandson was struggling with speech difficulties, he called Ali and suggested she give the organisation a call. It was a ‘sliding doors’ moment for the Perth mum, who had been struggling to find the right treatment for her young son Qaison.
“I often think about where he would be had my dad not watched that advert and told me about TSH,” she reflects. “I’m so grateful I made that call.”
Qaison, who is now aged eight, began talking at a normal age and his language development seemed on track until, at the age of two, he suddenly stopped talking.
“I had no idea what to do,” explained Ali. “He was always a very sniffly child and that led me to the Ear, Nose & Throat doctor, who explained that Qaison was so congested with ‘glue ear’ that he actually couldn’t hear.
"Scholarship donations play a vital role in helping families who would otherwise not have the financial means to access to TSH’s early intervention, education and enrichment programs," explains TSH Head of External Relations & Facilities, Belinda Leksas. "Without scholarship donations, these families may be left behind, unable to access the many benefits that our programs provide."
“We started in Talkabout 2 (T2),” Ali says. “It was wonderful, and I met so many families who were on the same journey as us. It sparked my eagerness to learn more about what Qaison was going through so that my husband Shey and I could understand it and help him.
Qaison would attend TSH one day a week, receiving multi-disciplinary support from the team of teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists and education assistants.
“I can’t say there was an instant improvement because he was still battling to hear,” Ali explained.
“But there was a gradual improvement and T2 taught me what I needed to do to support him. It helped me to identify the small things that I could do every day. It was only two hours, once a week, but that gave me the motivation to implement things every day. It also gave me the knowledge to advocate for him going forward about what I wanted for him in his schooling.
Although confident that Qaison was in the right place, Ali admits that she struggled with the physical and emotional toll of supporting a child with a speech and language delay.
“It was exhausting,” she said. “Even though I knew it was not my fault, I had this constant feeling of guilt that I was not doing enough for him.”
Towards the end of Talkabout 3, things started to improve rapidly for Qaison. His parents noticed a distinct change in his behaviour and an eagerness to try and speak more. Initially it came out in babbling and gestures, but it was a sign that Qaison’s hearing was finally coming right.
At the end of the year, Ali and Shey faced the difficult decision of whether to move Qaison into a full-time program at the Language Development Centre (LDC) or continue with a combination of T4 and mainstream schooling. They opted for the former, but after a few months Ali felt that a return to TSH would be better for Qaison.
“At the time I thought it would better to have the support full time,” she explained. “The LDC was great, but I just felt that he plateaued a bit and decided to try and get him back to TSH.”
Qaison was accepted into T5 the following year and any concerns about his transitioning between TSH and mainstream schooling were quickly dispelled.
“He is such an easy-going kid that it didn’t faze him at all,” said Ali. “In fact, he thought it was the best thing to have two schools to go to!
“The support that all three of my children have received from Telethon Speech & Hearing has helped them in different aspects of their learning, life and confidence.
I can’t even begin to imagine how different things would have been had we not been introduced to the team at TSH.”
“T5 was the best year for him. His ears started to sort themselves out and once he was able to hear and understand he really took off. The combination of small classes and social, emotional and academic support helped him flourish.
“Prior to coming back, I was told that it would take years to close the gap between his language development and that of his mainstream peers, but he was able to do that in one year.
“He loves school. He loves learning. It’s wild to think of where he was, his journey, and where he is now,” explains Ali. “I know that we would not be in the place that we are now without the financial support that we have received through TSH’s scholarship program, and I will be forever grateful to have been able to give my kids the best chance at education.”
Having experienced the positive outcomes that TSH provided for Qaison, Ali had no hesitation in enrolling her second child, Isla, the moment she spotted that something wasn’t quite right.
“For Isla, the decision to bring her here was based on her self-confidence,” explains Ali. “I think that because I invested so much time with Qaison, I probably didn’t put the time in with her. Also, since he would be quite physical at home, I feel like she withdrew emotionally.
“It was definitely the right decision to put her in T4. Her confidence just bloomed from being in a school environment where she felt supported and loved. It was unreal to see the difference in her and her willingness to learn and communicate.”
Ultimately, all three of Ali’s children have benefitted from TSH’s Talkabout program, though for very different reasons.
Aleirah, the youngest, is currently in T5 while Isla attends the Language Support program.
“When Aleirah’s mainstream teacher raised some speech and language concerns, I wanted to get the help for her earlier rather than later,” said Ali. “Having had the experience with Qaison, I wanted to rather close a gap that is small now than one that is massive later. I’m so happy with her progress at TSH and her teacher has said that she is thriving in her mainstream school.
“The support that all three of my children have received from Telethon Speech & Hearing has helped them in different aspects of their learning, life and confidence. I can’t even begin to imagine how different things would have been had we not been introduced to the team at TSH.”
TSH would like to thank our generous donors who help make scholarships possible:
