Communication device helps young girl’s development

A seven year old girl has been bought a special device by Community Link Foundation that will develop her ability to communicate.

Katie Sheil who lives in Birkdale, has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Global Developmental Delay(GDD). She is completely non verbal and uses Picture Exchange Cards and symbol boards to communicate.

Her parents, Amy Young and Adam Sheil had previously bought her the ‘Proloquo2go’ app for her iPad but because she enjoys using the iPad so much for YouTube and games, it was difficult to get her to concentrate on the app when she knows that there are games just a click away.

Her parents applied to Community Link Foundation for funding to buy a Tobii Dynavox – a tablet that is strictly a communication aid with no other apps except the communication programme.

This means that Katie will be able to distinguish between an iPad which is for fun, and a tablet that is solely to communicate with. Her family hope that this will provide Katie with the ability to communicate more effectively and reduce her behaviours that she displays when she becomes frustrated.

Mum Amy, said: “Katie is a very happy little girl who loves to interact with adults by counting, doing jigsaws and singing songs from Peppa Pig. She is very sensory and loves anything to do with water and lights. She also loves being outdoors regardless of how bad the weather is. She loves going to new places and doing new things.

“Her main source of frustration is her lack of communication and she can display behaviours when she can’t make herself understood or when she thinks we don’t know what she’s communicating. The hope is that Katie will become less frustrated with the use of a Tobii Dynavox.”

Tobii Dynavox make very adaptive devices for people with different needs and abilities. Katie’s device is called an ‘Indi with snap core first’ which is solely to help with communication.

Enda Rylands, chair of Community Link Foundation said: “We really hope that this funding will help Katie and it will be good to keep in touch with her so we can see her progress.

“We are grateful to all our supporters who fundraise for us, enabling us to help children like Katie, and other good causes in the area.”

Community Link Foundation is a local charity with a difference. They assist anyone in Southport and surrounding areas who need financial support in the form of a variety of ways.

Whether you are a parent with a child requiring assistance as part of an on-going illness or disease, a sports team in need of new equipment to benefit local young people or a community group that needs financial support for supplies or materials, Community Link Foundation may be able to help.