The COVID-19 shutdowns have affected everyone in one way or another, but for families with children who have special needs, certain therapies have not been available at all. In fact, the provincial government's restrictions on certain therapies have made it impossible for speech pathologists to properly treat young children.

Amber Istace is a Speech Language Pathologist, and is the Owner Operator of Speak To Me Speech and Language Services in Weyburn. She's hoping others will help to speak up on behalf of her clientele and others in their situation.

The restrictions have majorly hampered Istace's field of expertise, since her clientele is mostly young children with autism, who need eye-to-eye and even hands-on help with forming words and other communicative expressions.

"So, getting 'no', getting, 'more', requesting things, that's a big part of what I'm teaching the little guys," she explained. "When they're a little more advanced, then we're looking at how you say the words, looking right at the mouth."

"I have some children with apraxia that I work with, and that even involves hands on the face to prompt their mouth to move in the right direction," Istace noted.

She said she is not currently able to work with her young clients, due to the province's reopen plan essentially overlooking certain therapies like hers, as well as Occupational Therapists.

"I'm not [working] at all, because of the clientele that I serve," she shared. "The schools were doing some before summer break, and public health are doing some, but those little guys with the autism diagnosis, it's just not feasible under the new parameters."

Istace said she could do a few things for the clients with apraxia, but it can't produce the desired outcomes within the current limitations.

"This is private services that parents pay for with insurance or out of pocket, and the little bit that I could provide, I don't think would be worth it."

She said the virtual parameters are not ideal.

"I know public health was using online, and the school systems were using some online. And you can do some things with that, but even when you're online, the signal isn't clear enough to distinguish between some of those higher frequency, higher pitch sounds," Istace noted.

As for the parents doing the therapies themselves, Istace said they already have enough on their plates, and often other children, so that's also just not feasible.

"Like, with [base] ball, they're keeping it to 30 people, and they're having everybody sign up on the attendance sheet so they can contact-trace, if anything should happen I'm thinking, 'well, you've got 30 people on the contact tracing sheet. I can contact trace as well, and have way fewer people through in a day'," she commented.

Considering baseball is only therapeutic for some in theory, it is not officially considered therapy for the sake of cognitive development learning, even socialization or respite, the accessible service gap is in the process at the administrative end.

"I understand someone in the media had asked Scott Moe, probably a month ago, about services for people with special needs and children with autism, and the answer was, 'I didn't realize that was even an issue, I'll look into it'," she shared.

"Everything is backing up rather quickly. Those wait lists are getting longer and longer."

She said now is the time to speak up for those who have been or want to be advocates of those with autism and children with special needs.

"Just letting the government know that, this is an issue, this is a gap that isnt' being addressed."

"My heart just breaks for these little guys that are not receiving services," Istace expressed.

"Anybody who could just reach out and say, 'hey, everybody needs services. Everybody needs activities'. You know, the other kids who are capable are out playing ball now, and lacrosse, and these little guys, this is what they need. And we need to give it to them."

She said she's glad to finally shed some light on this gaping hole still being left. In spite of a recent announcement that certain things will become accessible, there is no clear plan as of yet.

Istace encourages any and all advocates to write to their MLAs anywhere in the province.

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