06-02-2006, 11:42 PM
A family are hoping to realise a dream by sending their four-year-old son to a pioneering course in America which is claimed could cure his autism.
Mum Simone Taylor said her son Thiago, four, currently has the speech capabilities of a one-year old after he was diagnosed with the disorder last February, aged three.
Simone, 39, and husband Mark, 44, have both attended conferences in London run by the Autism Treatment Center of America during the last 18 months to develop techniques to use at home in order to help cope with the disorder.
Thiago's behaviour and speech showed a marked improvement when the techniques were used and when Simone's parents arrived from Brazil last August. But his abilities dipped when they returned home in January.
Thiago's parents now hope to send their son to the five-day Son-Rise intensive programme course run at the Autism Treatment Center of America which claims, contrary to common belief, that children's autism can be cured.
And the £10,000 trip would be the first time the family as a whole have been able to receive such intensive help, treatment and advice to confront Thiago's disorder.
A fundraising night held at Caf ABC, Westow Street, Crystal Palace, last Sunday, was one of many events the family have organised to help raise money towards their first target an £1,800 deposit needed to book the trip.
Mrs Taylor, who said Thiago's diagnosis is slightly easier to deal with because she was diagnosed with aspergers syndrome when she was younger, added: "It is our dream to take Thiago to America for this program.
"They claim they can cure autism, but they can also help parents deal with the condition and instead of seeing it as a disaster, see it as an opportunity and a positive challenge."
She added of her son's condition: "All the milestones that children reach after a certain age, like walking and talking, were delayed in Thiago. He hasn't showed signs of being retarded, just impaired in his thinking.
"He was always bright but with very strange choices of ways to explore new things.
"For instance, instead of playing with a toy car by driving it or making noises, he would put it in his mouth or use it as a drumstick."
On the Son-Rise intensive programme the family, from Warminster Road, will stay in a house and work with experts eight hours a day.
Mrs Taylor said the treatment is so highly-rated, compared with others, because it is child-led and each child is treated individually.
As well as the event at Caf ABC, the Taylors have other fundraising ideas planned for June, including a friend running in a half marathon.
They have also organised three fundraising gigs, one in Gijon, Spain, one in New York and another in the Ruby Lounge, London as well as regularly auctioning off donated items.
Once the family have reached their first landmark they can contact the school in America and are given a date by which they must raise the remaining £8,000.
Mrs Taylor added: "I'm optimistic of reaching the £1,800 but we are worried about raising the rest because you need to think of different ways to raise the money."
By Adrian Kajumba from thisishertfordshire.co.uk
Mum Simone Taylor said her son Thiago, four, currently has the speech capabilities of a one-year old after he was diagnosed with the disorder last February, aged three.
Simone, 39, and husband Mark, 44, have both attended conferences in London run by the Autism Treatment Center of America during the last 18 months to develop techniques to use at home in order to help cope with the disorder.
Thiago's behaviour and speech showed a marked improvement when the techniques were used and when Simone's parents arrived from Brazil last August. But his abilities dipped when they returned home in January.
Thiago's parents now hope to send their son to the five-day Son-Rise intensive programme course run at the Autism Treatment Center of America which claims, contrary to common belief, that children's autism can be cured.
And the £10,000 trip would be the first time the family as a whole have been able to receive such intensive help, treatment and advice to confront Thiago's disorder.
A fundraising night held at Caf ABC, Westow Street, Crystal Palace, last Sunday, was one of many events the family have organised to help raise money towards their first target an £1,800 deposit needed to book the trip.
Mrs Taylor, who said Thiago's diagnosis is slightly easier to deal with because she was diagnosed with aspergers syndrome when she was younger, added: "It is our dream to take Thiago to America for this program.
"They claim they can cure autism, but they can also help parents deal with the condition and instead of seeing it as a disaster, see it as an opportunity and a positive challenge."
She added of her son's condition: "All the milestones that children reach after a certain age, like walking and talking, were delayed in Thiago. He hasn't showed signs of being retarded, just impaired in his thinking.
"He was always bright but with very strange choices of ways to explore new things.
"For instance, instead of playing with a toy car by driving it or making noises, he would put it in his mouth or use it as a drumstick."
On the Son-Rise intensive programme the family, from Warminster Road, will stay in a house and work with experts eight hours a day.
Mrs Taylor said the treatment is so highly-rated, compared with others, because it is child-led and each child is treated individually.
As well as the event at Caf ABC, the Taylors have other fundraising ideas planned for June, including a friend running in a half marathon.
They have also organised three fundraising gigs, one in Gijon, Spain, one in New York and another in the Ruby Lounge, London as well as regularly auctioning off donated items.
Once the family have reached their first landmark they can contact the school in America and are given a date by which they must raise the remaining £8,000.
Mrs Taylor added: "I'm optimistic of reaching the £1,800 but we are worried about raising the rest because you need to think of different ways to raise the money."
By Adrian Kajumba from thisishertfordshire.co.uk