A Co Cavan mother has shared her frustration over the "unacceptable" waiting times for speech and occupational therapy.
Denise NiGhabhain Maguire's son Raymond has autism, dyspraxia and an intellectual disability.
Raymond was referred for speech and language therapy at the age of three, and now at the age of seven, he has yet to receive an appointment.
The HSE confirmed that waiting times in Cavan Primary Care is 125 weeks for speech therapy and 147 weeks for occupational therapy.
With no additional support and Raymond needing round-the-clock care, Denise undertook a barbering course and opened up a sensory barbers for anyone on the spectrum.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show, the local mother said it was important for her to help parents like herself who have children on the spectrum.
She also highlighted the importance of early intervention adding that her child has been "failed" by the system.
Denise explained; "I had to seek private speech and language therapy for him so that my own family would be able to understand him because he wasn't being understood. I was being told by his school that he would randomly fall of his chair for no apparent reason, and he still does that. I can recall only a few weeks ago when we were out having dinner and out of nowhere he just fell off a high bar stool because he has absolutely no balance. Raymond now doesn't know how to balance himself properly, with early intervention that could of all been prevented but between waiting lists, assessments and everything like that we never got it on time and that's the system that failed him."
