Mom relieved as autistic sons enjoy school environment

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shakira Bryan Davis quit her job as an early childhood educator and took on the responsibility of teaching her two autistic sons, who have also been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), at home

She spent countless hours helping them with speech, developing self-help skills, and delivering lessons through music and other creative means.

“There’s nothing I would not do for my children. I don’t get enough rest and sometimes I don’t even eat properly because my focus is on them. It’s an emotional roller-coaster,” she admitted to The Gleaner in July as she sought financial assistance for assessments and help to get them placed in a special education school.

Gleaner readers gave her financial support, and she got the boys enrolled at the St Catherine-based Ensom City Primary School, where the education ministry provided shadows for them.

A shadow is an individual who provides one-on-one support to special-needs students to help in the development of their academic, social, and behavioural skills.

Samuel, a grade three student, and Caleb, who is in grade one, have completed the Christmas term and are eager to return to school in January.

“They enjoy being in the school environment, being around other children, and they love to go on the playing field. They have friends, and that’s what I wanted for them instead of [just] being at home. Caleb is still adjusting, but once they take him outside, he comes alive,” the mother said on Wednesday.

When the school term began, Bryan Davis served as the shadow for both sons because she could not get one for her younger son.

“It took a while for him to be approved, and then when he got a shadow, she was unable to finish the term, so I went back to shadowing both of them,” she told The Gleaner, adding that the education ministry has promised to get a shadow for him in January.

Bryan Davis said that while both her sons did well academically, Samuel performed better than the still-adjusting Caleb.

“It’s bittersweet. It’s very good to have them at school, but the resources are limited, so sometimes it’s very challenging, especially when you don’t have a sensory area for them or certain learning items,” she told The Gleaner.

Since the mother quit her job, the family has been surviving on a single income from her husband, Ralston Davis.

“I get a stipend from the ministry to shadow my older son, but the ministry is saying that they want to relieve me of that job so that I can get a break because I’ve been doing it with both of them. It has actually taken a toll on my body, so they want to give that job to somebody else,” she explained.

Her sons are in need of learning resources, especially manipulatives for mathematics, as well as assistance with paying for behavioural therapy and purchasing food.

“The food bill for them is so high. Sometimes I can’t even buy food for myself when I finish buying for them because of how they eat, especially the older one, who doesn’t really eat food, so I have to buy a lot of Ensure, and that adds up,” Bryan Davis explained.

judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com

How you can help

Bank – Victoria Mutual Building Society

Account name – Shakira Bryan

Account # – 25505827

Branch – Spanish Town

Bank – Jamaica National Bank

Account name – Ralston Davis

Account # – 10687223

Branch – Spanish Town