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Six-year-old Ana-Carolina de Moraes Lobo Bircham was due to start school at Stella Maris Primary last week, just months after leaving hospital.
Ana-Carolina has spent most of her life in hospital after being paralysed by Guillain Barre Syndrome when she was just five months old. She lost her ability to speak, and has limited movement of her fingers, toes and facial muscles, and relies on equipment to breathe.
Stella Maris principal Alan Watts says Ana-Carolina will start by attending school for half-an-hour a day, two days a week.
She is on the On Going Resource Scheme, which provides funds and support for children with the highest level of need so they can receive special education.
Stella Maris has eight other children currently on the scheme. They have a mixture of one-on-one teaching and time in the classroom depending on their individual requirements, Mr Watts says.
“Every child’s needs are a bit different, so we have to adapt accordingly,” he says.
After receiving tutoring at home, Ana-Carolina has learned to communicate in a structured way using a PODD book, which includes pictures and words that allow her to communicate with her eyes.
Ana-Carolina’s father Peter Bircham says school will give his daughter the opportunity to interact with other children.
“Ana-Carolina has had quite an isolated life and the only children she has seen have been sick in hospital, so meeting new kids at school will be good for her.”
