The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

TERESA Dorsett said her only dream is hear her seven-year-old son sing again and vocalise his thoughts and ideas completely, but she knows to an extent this may never be a reality.

Mrs Dorsett’s son, Emmanuel “Manny” Dorsett was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder known as Pervasive Developmental Disorder, when he was just three years old.

The disorder has delayed the development of his communication skills and impaired his social interaction, but despite these setbacks, Mrs Dorsett said he son is still a beautiful child with a warm, fun-loving personality.

She said although she loves her son with all her heart, it has been a struggle financially to raise an autistic child and the cost to send him to specialised schools is more than the family can afford.

Recently, Mrs Dorsett said she found a school that will design a programme especially around Manny to allow him to unlock his true potential. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they have not been able to come up with the money for the fees.

“We are asking for someone to sponsor Manny to attend the Sea Horse Institute, we believe he will excel there. We have seen our little boy grow up and make progress but there is so much more that we know he can do.

“He used to speak and make sentences and he loved to sing songs that he heard at church and familiar songs he heard on the television. But over time, his love of singing and his vocabulary has been suppressed because of this disorder, which is heartbreaking to me because I would love to hear him sing again,” she said.

“Manny will need intensive Applied Behaviour Analysis and we are not able to provide it for him, that is why we are here to find a sponsor for his so his true potential can be seen.

“He has been to school, he went to Garvin Tynes but it was a short period time, because of his asthma he was not able to stay there very long. I would have also hoped because it was specialised unit he would have been taken care of but there was also some issues we had with the classroom, I just wasn’t happy.

“I want people to understand he is a loving little boy and he is a fighter. He doesn’t let the obstacles of autism get in his way.

“We had a cook-out recently but the money was still not enough. We just want the best care for him with her therapy and help in those areas that come along with normal living, its very frustrating for him when he wants to say something and it can’t come out and I have seen him struggle and it breaks my heart. We just want someone who will hear this story and say ‘I would like to sponsor this little boy’s education’.”

Manny’s programme at the Sea Horse Institute will cost $2,060 per month for one-on-one therapy three days a week and $3,000 for five days a week.

Manny’s father, Kendal Dorsett, said he was amazed to discover that National Insurance benefits for Manny will not “kick in” until his 21st birthday.

He said intervention for children with autism in essential in the first years of life.

He said anyone who wished to contribute to Manny’s education can deposit funds at Scotia Bank account #60001589 or contact The Tribune for further details.