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For kids with Autism, early intervention is everything!

Autism affects 1 in 70 people in Australia. There is no cure and there isn’t a single known cause.

But what we do know is early access to diagnosis and therapeutic support gives children the best chance to live independently and participate in their community. It also benefits the whole family, establishing a supportive network, training and guidance based on understanding and respect.

For kids with autism, early intervention works.

Early intervention helped Arjac to speak!

Without early intervention Kristen would never have heard her autistic son Arjac say ‘I love you’

Imagine being a new parent, this is your first child and you are eagerly watching them grow and develop in their early years. For most parents, this would be a time of joy and happiness in their lives. Watching their chid take their first step, speak their first word and express their emotions.

This is not the reality for parents like Kristen, when your beautiful son isn’t coping with childcare, is experiencing serious meltdowns, has a limited diet, and you don’t know what the future holds. Kristen, like so many other parents had a gnawing sense of worry, when her son, Arjac, didn’t start talking, make eye contact or start crawling or walking. Parents like Kristen say they feel utterly helpless when their child has a meltdown, and they also feel judged.

Parents like Kristen start to look for answers; why isn’t their child developing and meeting milestones? Who can they turn to and more importantly what can they do to help their child?

Arjac’s mum Kristen said the best day of her life was when she heard Arjac say ‘I love you’ for the first time. Overjoyed, Kristen had to explain what happy tears were to young Arjac.

Will you be awesome for autism?

It can be gut-wrenching when you discover that your child has autism. You aren’t alone.

This April, get involved. Join a community of people who care about autism. Sign up for a fun run. Make a donation. Attend our Family Day.

Autism Awareness Month is about celebration and acceptance. Together, we can help children with autism live their best lives!

Arjac’s Story

When Arjac started at AEIOU he was not toilet trained and had a limited diet: dino nuggets, cookies and crackers. He needed help to walk up and down stairs and play outside.

He struggled with emotional regulation, like many autistic children, and his behaviours included head banging, crying, kicking, throwing himself to the floor, hitting others and biting other children.

Since starting at AEIOU, Arjac hasn’t looked back. Thanks to AEIOU and early intervention his life has transformed. Within six weeks of starting at AEIOU Arjac began to speak.

Because of early intervention at AEIOU he has been supported to feel confident and safe trying new foods, improved his motor skills and increased his trust with adults and peers. Arjac is now toilet trained and eats a healthy diet every day.

AEIOU supports children across Australia, with centres found in 11 locations across Queensland, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory.  We help the most vulnerable kids in the autism community to overcome challenges that impact their quality of life and ability to access education. AEIOU have a holistic approach to therapy and education.

Piper's Story

At age four, Piper was newly diagnosed with autism, and struggling in mainstream childcare.

Concerning behaviours were escalating, and her educators were at a loss. Piper’s family were also pushed to the limit. “We were in crisis mode as a family” says Piper’s mum Skye. “This diagnosis, which we still didn’t understand, was affecting every aspect of our lives, emotionally and financially. We were looking for something – anything – that could help.”

Luckily, Piper and her family were supported by AEIOU.

AEIOU creates a safe and supportive environment for kids and families to ‘feel seen’ and get the support they so desperately need.

After three months, Piper was walking into class without Skye by her side, something she had never been able to do. Amazingly, after 12 months, Piper was ready for mainstream schooling.

“The difference AEIOU has made to Piper is extraordinary”. Skye says, “Autism has taught us compassion and patience we didn’t know we had. We were given tools to support Piper which we didn’t have prior to AEIOU, and we are surviving so much better.”

How does early intervention help kids with autism?

Early intervention gives children the ability to participate meaningfully in their community, in ways that matter to them and their families.

AEIOU has pioneered integrated therapy and education through a unique, research-based program that has changed more than 2,000 children’s lives.

The benefits to a child and family extend into the community and we know children with autism make awesome gains when they get specialist support early in life.

The AEIOU program focuses on each child’s individual strengths and needs, addressing complex challenges they may be experiencing, helping children to connect, communicate, develop social and play skills, self-help skills like toileting, and so many life skills that bring access to community and education into reach.

AEIOU supports pre-school aged children, helping them to transition to kindergarten or big-school, creating a foundation for life, with improved likelihoods of accessing education and employment in addition to independent living.

Contact for more information

events@aeiou.org.au

Find out how you can support the children at AEIOU this autism awareness month.