Micah Smith (5) plays with brother Jesse (7).
Camera IconMicah Smith (5) plays with brother Jesse (7). Credit: Supplied/Marcus Whisson

Help found for Micah

Tom RabeEastern Reporter

Micah’s mother Rosemary Smith said she was shocked to hear her son had been diagnosed with the condition and sought advice to help him develop.

‘I always thought Micah’s silence meant that he would be a late bloomer, but when we were told that he had a severe speech and language delay, I just cried,’ she said.

‘It is very isolating to be told that there is something wrong with your child but that there is no official diagnosis for it,’ Ms Smith said.

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Because a speech and language delay is not classed as a disability, Ms Smith said Micah would not have any allowances made at school, meaning the family needed to look elsewhere for support.

That’s when they discovered the Telethon Speech language program.

‘I heard about the TSH Speech and Language Program through another mum and when we arrived I was instantly relieved to see other children and families in a similar situation,’ Ms Smith said.

‘I felt like Micah belonged somewhere,’ she said.

When Micah was four his language skills were only at the stage of a 2