Leslie’s family: ‘The only thing holding her back is her speech’

WHEN Leslie McCabe comes home from school in the evening, she normally throws herself on her bed listening to music.

Leslie, like most teenagers, loves music. It’s her way of relaxing and also escaping. She sings along to lyrics but while most people can’t help but get the lyrics wrong, Lesley doesn’t stand a chance.

The youngest of four children, the 15-year-old from Jobstown in Tallaght has serious speech and language problems. And throughout her lifetime, she has only had six weeks of speech therapy — and that was a group session.

Her sister Michelle generally gets the gist of what Lesley is trying to say. But, adored as she is by her older brothers, they still can’t understand Leslie. Mum Geraldine has to translate for her 25 and 23-year-old sons.

Leslie’s hearing is perfect but physical and developmental problems caused by Down’s Syndrome have led to the speech difficulties. However, Leslie’s problems could be overcome if she had access to speech and language therapy.

For the past 10 years, the plight of the country’s special needs has been highlighted by the media and support group and voluntary associations that represent those who can’t fight themselves.

On Thursday night, Deputy Pat Rabbitte struck a chord with many of the people disillusioned with how the country’s riches have been squandered.

If Leslie’s mother could afford to pay for private speech therapy, her daughter would have no problem speaking. But Geraldine, a lone parent, can’t work for any more than 15 hours or she will lose her carer’s allowance.

The McCabes live in a local authority house and have complained for years about anti-social behaviour. They have sought to be moved to a vacant house in a nearby cul-de-sac. They’ve repeatedly been told no.

An impassioned Pat Rabbitte let rip last night, sick of hearing from his West Dublin constituents how their rights are diminished due to their low income, how they can’t afford a safe home or provide for their child’s right to speak.

“This is the reality of where Celtic Tiger Ireland has left Leslie and her mother — besieged by anti-social behaviour in her home, unable to go out to work because she would lose her benefit and unable to access the intensive speech and language therapy that the young girl so desperately needs. Worst of all it’s not possible to find someone who gives a damn — the minister will pass the book to the HSE; the HSE will go to the word processor that churns out a routine text reply for this kind of case and the county council refuses a housing transfer taking shelter behind the opinion of a medical officer that is accountable to no one,” he said.

Geraldine said: “For the past 15 years, I have never stopped looking for help. For the first five years, it was help so Leslie could feed as she could only drink from a tube. Back then, I thought when Leslie entered St John of God’s that therapy would come in some form but no,”

St John of Gods was unable to provide a spokesperson yesterday but in response to TD queries, the HSE said the speech therapist post at the school has been “vacant for long periods” or else priority given to under 5s.

Going through puberty is difficult for many young girls but for children with special needs, it can be particularly frustrating as they can’t fully understand hormonal changes and mood swings.

Add to that, an inability to vocalise your feelings and wishes and it makes for a very frustrated teenager.

“Leslie will try and try but then other times, she’ll just start sighing. There is no other way for her to communicate. She can’t read. She can only write her name,” says Geraldine.

Geraldine speaks of how speech therapy students regularly spend a year at the school but then move on — often into the more lucrative private sector.

“And then I hear that 300 speech therapists were trained last year and there are graduates who still can’t get a job. My daughter needs this help so badly and because she’s special needs she can’t go on the regular speech and language waiting list,” she sighs.

“Leslie needs intensive help. She needs therapy daily if she’s ever to speak. We’re all supposed to have the right to speech but it’s being denied to her. Leslie is a great kid.

“You know what my family and everyone says about her? The only thing holding her back is her speech.”