'He had six words, they're gone': Three-year therapy wait for little Killian

'All I’m doing is fighting for Killian, for his SLT and OT,' says mother Elaine O'Donovan, pictured with son Killian in Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane.

A Cork mother who has been waiting three years for speech and language therapy (SLT) for her son has branded his treatment a 'disgrace'.

Elaine O’Donovan from Fairhill has been waiting for SLT for her son, Killian. Instead, she has been enrolled in a course to learn to work on Killian’s speech herself. She says this is a 'disgrace', and that she should not have to take the place of a professional in giving her child therapy.

Killian McSweeney O’Donovan used to receive SLT, as well as occupational therapy (OT) from an HSE early intervention team, until he was diagnosed with autism at age three, and moved to a waiting list for his local Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT).

Three years later, Killian is now aged six, still on the waiting list, and has yet to receive any SLT or OT sessions.

“Killian is happy, but I would love to see him get the SLT and OT he needs,” said Ms O’Donovan. 

When he was over in the early intervention team he had six words, they're gone. With the OT, he could walk up and down the stairs, use building blocks, and all that's gone.

“I actually feel like giving in to depression at this stage, all I’m doing is fighting for Killian, for his SLT and OT, and nothing is going right, no matter what I do.”

When Ms O’Donovan was recently offered a place in the Hanen 'More Than Words' programme by Killian’s CDNT, she jumped at it, as she was told it would include three sessions with a therapist.

According to the HSE, the five-month “evidence-based clinical communication programme” promotes strategies in relation to communication for parents of children on the autism spectrum.

But Ms O’Donovan said that the course, which she is now attending once a week, cannot fill the place of a qualified therapist.

“It’s a disgrace," she said. "I’m trying to do this course three hours a week, all the homework, learn everything, and then try to do it with Killian. 

Basically, they are getting me to learn it to do SLT with Killian. I shouldn't have to do that, professional speech and language therapists with degrees should be doing that.” 

Ms O’Donovan said even the three SLT sessions promised as part of the course are of “no benefit to Killian”, as the therapist focuses on teaching her how to communicate with him.

Once she finishes the course in February, she said she will be “back in limbo” as Killian remains on the waiting list for SLT and OT, and she will be only left with what she has learned in the course to help Killian in the meantime.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A Parliamentary Question from Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould reveals that Killian is one of 2,243 children in Cork waiting on their first SLT session. Of those, 932 children have been waiting at least a year.

“Children are being failed by disability services in Cork,” said Mr Gould. 

Waiting years on end for vital support is simply not good enough. Killian deserves access to the services he needs now.

“Giving parents tools and skills is extremely important, but this cannot be done in place of actual services. 

"Intervention as early as possible gives children the best chance. The State is failing these kids, and the minister now needs to intervene and ensure that CDNTs in Cork are properly resourced to give children the access to services they need.”