By NICOLE VALICEK
IT wasn’t until Susan Wale gave birth to twins that she started noticing her eldest daughter Olivia was different.
The mother-of-three said she started to notice Olivia, who was almost two years old at the time the twins were born, was not responding to her name and was a slow developer when it came to crawling and walking.
Ms Wale said no mother wants to compare their children but she knew something was not right.
Olivia had a hearing test which came back all clear.
From there Ms Wale was referred to a paediatrician from her local doctor.
“By two and a half we had her assessed by a psychologist who put her on the spectrum,” Ms Wale said.
Olivia was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which is a neurological disorder that affects individuals’ ability to communicate, socialise and think flexibly.
“For me it was quite difficult, I didn’t know what autism was – I had no idea,” she said.
Another devastating shock came when Ms Wale noticed one of her twins, Elizabeth, started to display similar behaviour.
“I cried, you don’t expect to have two on the spectrum, but it was as much a relief as it was a devastation.”
Elizabeth was diagnosed with ASD as a three-year-old and started seeing a speech pathologist Mena Pastora who had been on Olivia’s journey from the start.
“Seriously, I don’t know what I would do without her.”
Individuals are born with the disorder and it is a lifelong condition with no cure.
Ms Wale said most days her world was in shambles, but that she wouldn’t change it for anything.
“At the end of the day what’s more important is that they’re happy and they’re healthy and they’re getting the right nutrition.”
Her third child and twin to Elizabeth, Louise, is not on the autism spectrum and is a happy well-developing child.
“She’s kind of taken on that big sister role even though by timing and birth she’s actually the youngest.”
Ms Wale also encouraged others who may have thoughts that their child is not keeping up with other children at the same age to get them checked out.
“Just speak to their GP get a referral to a paediatrician – it can’t hurt,” she said.
