The Give Forward Fundraiser for my nephew, Owen
My nephew, Owen, is a little blonde guy full of energy. He is also autistic. My brother has asked me to share the link below to raise awareness of not only Owen's fundraiser, but of the troubles with receiving services for Autism in rural Ohio. Some counties do a great job. Others, not so much. . . (See this article from The Columbus Dispatch.)
Because I know that many of my online friends are teachers, I will provide a quick warning: On the fundraiser page, my brother kind of sounds like one of those angry parents who comes in and blames you when their child fails or gets in trouble. I can only tell you that he has been dealing with trying to get Owen help for many years, and seems to always be told a different story every time--usually a reason why Owen cannot receive certain help. One year, Owen received 20 minutes of occupational therapy a week. A week. My education degrees are not in therapy or special education, and *I* know that autistic children often benefit from repetition and systematic learning. How does a child solidify skills in 20 minutes a week?
Perhaps the most frustrating part is never knowing what Owen could be doing now if he had received more help when he was younger. I love the moments when he "pops out" and smiles at me, or sits next to me and wants to rub my chin whiskers, or begins singing to himself. I took the picture below a couple of years ago, and it makes me smile every time I see it. I hope that you can at least offer him an online "hug" at the fundraising site. Thanks for reading this.
The Give Forward Fundraiser for Owen Marshall
Because I know that many of my online friends are teachers, I will provide a quick warning: On the fundraiser page, my brother kind of sounds like one of those angry parents who comes in and blames you when their child fails or gets in trouble. I can only tell you that he has been dealing with trying to get Owen help for many years, and seems to always be told a different story every time--usually a reason why Owen cannot receive certain help. One year, Owen received 20 minutes of occupational therapy a week. A week. My education degrees are not in therapy or special education, and *I* know that autistic children often benefit from repetition and systematic learning. How does a child solidify skills in 20 minutes a week?
Perhaps the most frustrating part is never knowing what Owen could be doing now if he had received more help when he was younger. I love the moments when he "pops out" and smiles at me, or sits next to me and wants to rub my chin whiskers, or begins singing to himself. I took the picture below a couple of years ago, and it makes me smile every time I see it. I hope that you can at least offer him an online "hug" at the fundraising site. Thanks for reading this.
The Give Forward Fundraiser for Owen Marshall
