Annabelle is 8 years old. She is inspired by Peter Rabbit “because he is a good friend, brave and never gives up.”
Annabelle also has a rare condition called Occulo Dental Digital Dysplasia. This includes vision impairment (congenital glaucoma), hearing impairment (hearing now within normal limits), dental anomalies, syndactyly (the condition of having some or all of the fingers wholly or partly united due to malformation, facial dysmorphism.
With the support of her mother Marina, father Chris, younger sister Sophia and their beloved dog Hector, Annabelle is navigating an inspiring journey to independence and her bravery and commitment rivals even the likes of Peter Rabbit!
Photo of Annabelle and her toy unicorn
Funded through the WA NDIS, Annabelle has had the opportunity to access regular Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy at home through VisAbility.
Her ongoing therapy has led to an improvement in her expressive and receptive language skills, as well as her articulation and intelligibility.
As part of Speech Pathology Week, we spoke with Annabelle and Marina to hear more about their day to day challenges and what it’s like working with VisAbility.
What is special to you about the speech therapy with VisAbility?
MARINA: Annabelle’s Speech Pathologist Hannah comes to our house which makes it easier for us to regularly access therapy. Annabelle really likes Hannah and gets excited when she knows she has a Speech Pathology session.
Tell us a story about when Annabelle struggled with their speech.
MARINA: Annabelle didn’t speak until she was around three years old, she used gestures to communicate. She would get frustrated all the time when her speech wasn’t understood. As soon as she started receiving Speech Pathology services at VisAbility we could see the improvements and now Annabelle is a chatterbox!
How does Annabelle’s vision impairment impact on everyday life?
MARINA: Due to Annabelle’s vision impairment there are things she can’t do that other children who have no vision impairment take for granted. She has difficulty doing things like running and riding a bike. Despite Annabelle’s vision impairment she still gets in and gives everything a go!
How has Speech Pathology helped with this?
MARINA: Annabelle used to hang around with adults more than with her peers. With improvements in her speech and language she is now more confident communicating with people her own age. She is now very popular with her peers and her speech is clearer and easier to understand. It has been really nice to watch Annabelle’s confidence grow over the years.
What is your first memory related to Annabelle’s disability?
MARINA: At first I found it incredibly hard to deal with the news of Annabelle’s diagnosis. It was tough having to go to PMH every month for different appointments. When we found out Annabelle had problems with her vision she was about 6 months old. She was squinting and had watery eyes, at first we thought it was hay fever. The GP referred us to an Opthalmologist who told us Annabelle had glaucoma. Her vision deteriorated and she had to have frequent surgery. When Annabelle started Year 1 we knew something else wasn’t right as she kept walking in to walls at home. We were told Annabelle also had cataracts. Annabelle has had a range of vision issues over the years. We look on the bright side though…as Annabelle is older she can now fully cooperate in her vision assessments. This makes it a lot easier for all of us. She recently had a Functional Vision Assessment at VisAbility and her vision has improved slightly. It is only a very small improvement but we are thrilled!
How has the support of VisAbility impacted on your family?
MARINA: VisAbility is AWESOME! Everyone who works there is so friendly and supportive. It was also really good for me as a parent to have the opportunity to meet and relate to other parents going through similar experiences. Annabelle has attended the VisAbility Playgroup, the VisAbility Kindy and currently attends the Children and Youth Services holiday programs. The staff adapt everything to suit her needs. I am grateful to VisAbility and all the staff members who have been involved with Annabelle over the years. They encourage all of the children to do things I never thought a person with vision impairment could do!
Who inspires you most in life?
ANNABELLE: Peter Rabbit because he is a good friend, brave and never gives up!
We accept referrals from parents, teachers, medical specialists, allied health professionals and child health nurses. Contact us on 1800 847 466 1800 VISION (1800 847 466) and speak to our Children and Youth Services team to discuss your needs.