We were so excited when we got news we were having another little boy. My son Lucas was over the moon when he found out he would have a little brother to play with. When Taylor was born, we knew straight away that something wasn’t right, the doctors and nurses seemed very concerned. Those initial joyful moments I was expecting to have with my new born son turned to panic as he was whisked away for tests. Soon after the staff at the hospital came and told me that Taylor had problems with his heart and would need an operation. It left me feeling very anxious and fearful. Taylor has since been diagnosed with congenital heart disease. At just 3 years old he has already had two heart operations and is awaiting a third.
He has also been diagnosed with autism and learning disabilities which have severally impacted his mobility. Taylor was fortunate enough to get a place in the Mencap Children’s Centre and has been attending since September 2020. The centre has been a real blessing to us all, not only did it come at a time when we needed support more than ever due to the COVID19 pandemic it also came at a very pivotal point in Taylors development. Working with the key workers at Mencap along with the support from the Belfast Health & Social Care staff Taylor has come on so much with his speech. He has even started to take some steps with the help of the staff and his walker. Seeing Taylor take those steps independently fills my heart with joy, it’s something I wasn’t sure he would ever be able to do.
With the help of Mencap I have high hopes for my sons future having seen how much he has developed in his short time at the Children’s Centre.
This post was supplied by our featured charity, Mencap. Mencap is the leading voice of learning disability. Everything they do is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability, and their families and carers. Their vision is a world where people with a learning disability are valued equally, listened to and included.