Maddison is a lovely 8-year-old who has two siblings with severe autism. Maddison herself has been having difficulty in school and home with social skills and learning. Maddison has been diagnosed with ADHD, severe anxiety, failure to thrive, and reading impairment. She has medication, but her anxiety prevents her from willingly taking it, so it’s always a struggle..Maddison is a spunky sassy girl who loves being girly, but also loves sports and Pokemon. Maddison loves ice skating, watching sports, drawing and swinging outside and in the playroom to get the sensory regulations she needs. She loves to color with smelly crayons and markers even drawing her own scenes. The family’s favorite activity together is going to the Variety playground which allows mom to let all three kids simply themselves with the safety of the fence. 

Maddison loves school but comes home crying because other kids bully her do to her learning disabilities and language disorder. She tries her best, but her grades are falling and mom is pushing the school to provide everything Maddison is entitled to. Unfortunately those services are delayed while waiting for another IEP meeting. Maddison uses a touch screen laptop at school and has difficulty transitioning to a PC computer with mouse for her homework.This transition causes her anxiety to flair up and leads to meltdowns and incomplete school work. A tablet of her own would allow her to practice more at home with text to speech and speech to text, allowing her to complete her learning websites provided by the school. She was making great progress with one program, but that program alone costs $155 each year. Every cent counts when a family is raising three kids with special needs!

An  iPad will allow her to have something to help her with her anxiety when out in the community. It would provide a communication safety net for those times that she is overwhelmed.  She has tried these programs before and it has helped her in the classroom and home. Because she has been diagnosed with failure to thrive, Maddison has a feeding tube. Her anxiety makes tube feedings very difficult and an iPad would provide a great distraction during feedings. 

Maddison’s anxiety causes her to chew anything she has access to –  she has chewed car doors after leaving the doctors, chewed her sleeves during school and on the bus. The noise canceling headphones would allow her to self regulate in the classroom, bus and home community setting. Finally, a car harness would help with anxiety and impulse control in the car – currently she gets out of her seat belt and distracts the driver. 

These items would improve Maddison’s education and life so much allowing mom to work more with her to get her to be able to read at grade level instead of kindergarten level with peer classmates are reading at 3rd grade levels, allowing her to have confidence to no be bullied for her disorders we deal with extreme bullying daily with her. The iPad headphones and car harness will provide her a safety net for her anxiety out in the community. 

These aids would be life changing for Maddison, helping her advance in school and gain confidence. 

Can you help this family who is challenged with so many extra costs while raising three kids with special needs?  Please donate today at varietykc.org/donate/

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