Our Shining Stars
Fernando
Fernando is 11 years old and big brother to 2 younger siblings with ASD and developmental delays. Fernando himself was diagnosed with ADHD in 2019. His mother, Amellay, has applied for the grant to “Get clarity for him and help him as far as getting him therapies. It has really impacted his daily living and he has been struggling so much at school and not being able to be around other peers. He has so many self doubts and it has been affecting him mentally and I worry so much about him.”
As Amellay describes, Fernado has been having increasing difficulties at home and school. His behavior is a daily issue with teachers and he has been known to have fits of rage where he throws toys, screams, slams doors, punches walls, and locks himself away in his room.
He has also had increased sensory issues. He has become more sensitive to sounds and textures, making it difficult to dress as many clothes affect this sensitivity.
At school, Fernando has issues with keeping focus and can’t keep friends at school. He spends much of his time alone. Fernando also has a stutter that is exacerbated when he feels frustrated, which, according to his mother, happens often. Amellaly says that she feels guilty about waiting so long to get Fernando Diagnosed and thinks it may be “too late” for him, but hopes she is wrong.
His behaviors have affected not only his home and school life, but also his mental health. Often Fernando will make statements such as, “I don’t know what to do with myself.” or “I’m always doing everything wrong. I can never do anything right.”
Amellaly feels that having Fernando evaluated and diagnosed will give him and the family access to the help and guidance they need.