Families of kids with autism worry Little Tots will lose funding

Parents and autism advocates are worried that Saskatchewan's only intensive preschool therapy program for children with autism will lose government money next month.

The Little Tots program, provided by Autism Services of Saskatoon, is a pilot project of the provincial government. It began three years ago and is slated to be re-evaluated at the end of March. 

Children in the Little Tots program receive 20 hours of therapy a week with behavioural therapists who use a technique called applied behaviour analysis. The therapists help the preschoolers tackle their biggest issues, such as social skills and communication, and help them get ready for kindergarten​.

The program only has eight children involved and doesn't have capacity for many more, but many see it as an important service.

Easton's success story

Ailish Irwin's four-year-old son Easton participates in the therapy program. When he began three years ago, Easton was completely non-verbal and had issues being overloaded with sensory stimulation.

"Prior to the program, we didn't know him at all. We didn't know what he liked, what stories he liked, what games he liked, what toys he liked. We didn't know our child at all. Being in the program now, the therapists have allowed us to get to know our son," Ailish said.

Without the program, preschoolers like Easton would have to seek therapy in a less intensive program, said Jodi Brown, the team lead and a behavioural therapist at Little Tots.

"They may only get one or two hours a week (as) opposed to the 20 hours a week. Research shows that to make significant gains, these kids need this early intensive care," Brown said.  

Brown hopes the program will become permanent and expand to help more children on the autism spectrum.

She said programs like these help children adjust to live relatively normal lives.

"When they came in, their chronological age was three, but they were only functioning at like a year and a half. Now, some of those kids are functioning at almost a typical level. The significant delays aren't as profound." Brown said.

Government funding needed

Some parents whose kids are in the program will meet with Health Minister Dustin Duncan Thursday.

Duncan told CBC News that decisions about funding won't be announced until the province's budget day on March 18.

In the meantime, Ailish worries her son won't be able to complete the program at Little Tots. She's also concerned other children on the autism spectrum won't have a chance to participate at all.

"I'm terrified for other children in Saskatchewan that are going to receive this diagnosis and not have the opportunity to have the intervention and support that they desperately need," she said.

Ailish said she and her family are willing to move out of the province to receive better government-funded care.

"Most other provinces have a great deal of funding for autism services. Unfortunately our province is considerably behind in the funding." she said.