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Diego’s Mum: ‘Autism Is Not Something That Can Be Cured, But It Can Improve With The Right Intervention’

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When Diego was two-years-old, his mother Sefora noticed that he didn’t communicate with words like other children his age.

Concerned, they sought help from medical professionals and began occupational and speech therapy… even before receiving a formal diagnosis.

Eventually, Diego’s diagnosis confirmed that he was on the autism spectrum:

“Even if I had no diagnosis, I wanted to help Diego in the best way possible. At the age of two and a half, Diego received his diagnosis and we confirmed that he was on the autism spectrum,” Sefora told Lovin Malta.

Communication proved to be an uphill battle for Diego, as autism can affect the part of the brain responsible for language development.

“This struggle became painfully evident when he cried for hours, unable to express his needs. It was like being in a foreign country without a common language, desperately seeking help but unable to make oneself understood” Sephora explained to Lovin Malta.

 

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A post shared by Sefora Aquilina (@diego__and__i)

Eventually, at the age of five and with the help of therapy, Diego achieved a relatively good grasp of verbal communication. Others are not so fortunate and never get to voice their frustration.

The introduction of a communication device brought a ray of hope to help non-verbal autistic children communicate with the outside world.

Similar to being offered a phone with a translator in a foreign land, this device provides them with a means to express themselves, relieving their frustrations and giving voice to their thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

And this is where the Malta Trust Foundation can help out and make a real change in the lives of children like Diego and so many more. 

The Malta Trust Foundation is a charity run by President Emeritus Mary-Louise Coleiro Preca, which takes concrete action to encourage vulnerable young people improve their lives through educations and training.

One of their actions is to provide these devices to autistic children.

These devices can be quite expensive but they help to dramatically improve the quality of life of those suffering from this condition – and these children need your help.

This Saturday, The Malta Trust Foundation will be holding a fund-raising marathon.

Tune in from 11am to 11pm on all Maltese TV stations to donate if you have the means to and change the lives of Maltese children.

Check out some donation numbers below – every little helps!

Tag someone who needs to tune in and donate this Saturday

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Mario enjoys reading, cooking, the art of film and travelling. A man of this world, he believes that the earth needs more equitable distribution of assets and resources - and way more seafood platters. Contact him via email at [email protected]

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