Lisa and Hugo’s journey with the NDIS.
We’re sharing real-life stories from our Members about their disability and their experiences with the NDIS. These stories highlight different journeys, disability types and the ways Members use their NDIS funding to support their goals. Today, we’re sharing Lisa and her son Hugo’s* story. Lisa talks openly about Hugo’s diagnosis, their journey with the NDIS and how they use his funding to best support his needs and goals. From the moment Hugo was born, mum Lisa knew he was a special boy. But as he grew, Lisa noticed he was sensitive to loud noises, seemed easily agitated and had trouble settling at daycare. People on the outside often misunderstood Hugo’s behaviour. “Sometimes I felt disappointed by their judgment,” Lisa recalls. “They’d say he was naughty or needed more discipline, but they didn’t see the bigger picture.” Lisa spent hours online looking at conditions like autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). “It was overwhelming,” she says. A local child nurse referred Hugo to a pediatrician, who diagnosed him with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), ADHD and Global Developmental Delay. “There’s guilt as a parent because you see your child’s struggles,” Lisa explains. Hugo received his first plan through the Early
