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(UK) Portsmouth: Mom tries to raise $19K to get private autism diagnosis

Apr 8, 2023, Portsmouth News: Desperate mum is trying to raise £15,000 [$19K] for her autistic son to get specialist help before starting mainstream school https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/people/desperate-mum-is-trying-to-raise-ps15000-for-her-autistic-son-to-get-specialist-help-before-starting-mainstream-school-4097286

S. England


It is unusual to spot it in a child so early’: A desperate mum is fundraising to get her son, who is waiting for an autism diagnosis, specialist help before going to a mainstream school.

Samantha Booker, 38, has spent the best part of two decades working as a behavioural therapist and has worked with countless parents whose children need extra support in a school setting.

Already knowing the systems and routes to take with children who have special educational needs, she was the first one to spot autistic tendancies in her own child, Koah, when he was only four months old.

After having Koah, who is now three, she began noticing his behaviours including his lack of eye contact, food aversions to the point where he would cry looking at pasta or pureed foods and he would make repetitive noises –and she began to try and get him the help he needed.

Samantha and Koah Booker. Samantha is trying to raise enough money so that her son can see a private specialist consultant to help him before he starts mainstream school. ..

Koah Booker. Samantha is trying to raise enough money so that her son can see a private specialist consultant to help him before he starts mainstream school.

She had to begin sensory integration early on and she would have to fill plastic bags with different textures so that he could play with them without getting anxious about how they felt on his skin.

Samantha has been working with him since she began noticing the signs of autism and has used her training and understanding to help him as best as she can. …

She went to a paediatrician who she begged for help and he began the referral process.

Koah had a number of tests for food intolerances, allergies, sensory delays and he saw many paediatricians and therapists, all of whom agreed that it was highly likely that he had autism.

As the process continued Samantha found that Koah was labelled with sensory processing disorder, food intolerances, eczema, autism but at every point where Samantha thought there was some hope she found herself with no additional help to get her son the best support….

The 38-year-old is waiting for an official diagnosis of autism but what she fears the most is her son going into a mainstream school and not getting the correct help.

Currently, Koah would not be able to cope in a mainstream school as he barely talks to, or looks at, people he is not comfortable with, he has speech delay and he will only eat a small number of foods….

Samantha sees the potential that her little boy has and wants to give him the best chance in life so she has set up a GoFundMe page with a target of £15,000 which will pay for a private specialist consultant who will support him every week up until he starts school.

They will also document all of his needs and skills and will take them to the local authority to ensure that the support is continued in school if it is needed….

Samantha and Koah Booker. Samantha is trying to raise enough money so that her son can see a private specialist consultant to help him before he starts mainstream school.

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