Shirlee engel biography for kids

Watch: Part two of Global National’s Shirlee Engel’s special series on autism 

TORONTO – Jennifer Mackintosh has two sons, both diagnosed with autism, but she wishes her older son had received the same early treatment as her younger son.

“With Alex, my older son, we really didn’t understand what we were doing initially and what we were dealing with,” said Mackintosh.

“So not only were we later getting a diagnosis, but…he didn’t start in a proper program until he was almost three-and-a-half.”

Nathan, three years younger, had a full program set up just two weeks after his diagnosis at 21 months, while Alex’s Ontario doctor told Mackintosh he would be on a waitlist for two to two-and-a-half years for a government-funded program.

Instead, with the help of family members, Mackintosh paid $37,000 a year for private care for her older son.

She believes Alex, now 9, was always going to hav