One last push to send Jack to USA (From Northwich Guardian)

One last push to send Jack to USA

8:00am Monday 26th April 2010 in

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A FAMILY is appealing for a last fundraising push to help them send their autistic son to America for intensive play therapy.

Jack Armstrong, six, needs a final £5,000 boost before the trip in June, which will give him 39 hours of one-to-one help from experts from the Son-Rise Programme.

His mum and dad Natalie and Mark will receive training at the same time so they can carry on the good work with Jack when they get back home to Kingsley.

The family is also appealing for volunteers to help work and play with Jack to help him develop his communication and social skills, which is a part of the Son-Rise Programme.

Natalie said: “Not many people know what autism is.

“It used to be one in a 100 boys, but now it’s one in 60, but there’s not much information out there.

“These aren’t naughty children, they just need help and understanding.”

Jack regressed when he was three-and-a-half years old, losing eye contact with others and verbal communication.

Each case of autism is different, and a commonly-used communication method based on pictures, called Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), does not work for Jack.

But the Son-Rise Programme, which is all about playful interaction, has proved successful for Jack since his parents found out about it in 2008.

Natalie said: “We were originally told to teach him PECS, but not every child is the same and PECS doesn’t work with him, but this does.

“Jack wants to play with string and wire, he doesn’t want toys, and if we play with string too he feels comfortable with that and with us.

“With the interaction, his attention span goes up.

“He’s non-verbal, but people don’t realise.

“They see a child of Jack’s height and build but don’t realise he can’t talk to me.

“He’s not being rude – he’s not going to say ‘goodbye’ or wave because he just doesn’t do that.

“We just want to get him to a level of speech and interaction so maybe one day he could tell me what he wants for Christmas.”

The Armstrongs started off with an $18,000 fundraising target, plus the cost of flights, and now only need $3,000 after a huge community effort.

Their next fundraiser is a golf event at Pryors Hayes Golf Club, in Tarvin, on May 25.

The entry fee is £100 for a team of four, which includes food, and tee times are available between 1pm and 2.30pm.

For more information about the event, or about becoming a volunteer to help Jack ring Natalie on 01928 7788246, 07988 435877 or visit joiningjacksteam.co.uk