Housekeeping Co celebrates Share Your Smile Campaign

This week, Housekeeping Co had the pleasure of putting on a special welcome for one of our Dubai families.

Emily Hay, her son Sam, 8, daughter Maya, 9, and nanny, Lisa, met with some of the team to share more about Sam's diagnosis of Angelman Syndrome, and help spread awareness of the condition.

Diagnosed at 21-months-old, Angelman Syndrome is a rare genetic condition which can affect speech and balance. First noticing signs when Sam was unable to walk or talk, a doctor confirmed that the symptoms were caused by the syndrome, which can be extremely rare.

Having learnt more about Angelman since Sam’s diagnosis six years ago, Emily explained that although it is not the path the family thought they would be on, it has brought them some incredible experiences, moments, and achievements.

Not known to many, some of the main symptoms of Angelman Syndrome are frequent smiling and having an excitable and happy personality.

In a bid to spread awareness of the syndrome and celebrate Sam, Emily has launched the #shareyoursmile campaign, and they certainly did when Sam was able to greet the team with his wonderful grin at Housekeeping Co’s Tadbeer centre on Sheikh Zayed Road.

When caring for a child with additional needs, Emily explained how many mums in similar positions to her have struggled to find full-time help. However, Lisa has now been working as a nanny in Dubai with Emily, Maya, and Sam for half a decade, and is now under Housekeeping Co's Tadbeer-two-year-visa, providing quality care and support for the family while Emily also works full-time.

Although when first diagnosed, Sam's condition had been difficult to digest, Emily explained that he has now surpassed some medical expectations, and that sharing awareness of Angelman Syndrome and his smile has now become a huge part of their lives.

Speaking about their experience, she said:

“When the doctor first told us I had to have him write it down, I didn’t know how to spell it, I had never even heard of it. When I first googled it, it said ‘he won’t walk, he won’t jump, he won’t crawl’, and now he’s running everywhere. He runs faster than I can keep up.

“He’s doing what other children do, it just takes lots and lots of practice. So, I’m raising awareness, so people can be aware of AS but also other syndromes like it in general, so when you come to somewhere where there’s lots of people, they understand what’s going on.

“He brightens up people’s days just by being him and has absolutely no idea the impact he has on people. He’s here and has a purpose but it’s up to us to share his purpose as he can’t do it by himself.”

Housekeeping Co are grateful to be a part of sharing Sam's story and message and look forward to continuing to work with the family in the future. You can find out more about Sam's Share Your Smile campaign here.

If you and your family have a child with special needs, we would love to meet you and share your story to bring awareness to families across the UAE.

When caring for a child who requires additional support, it is essential you or your nanny are trained and equipped to understand their behaviour, needs and routines.

This takes time to learn and for the child to get used to, and at Housekeeping Co we can support you and your nanny during this period. We do not charge any fees to train and share knowledge in regard to your child's special needs, it's all part of impacting the lives of our valued nannies and families alike.

That's why Housekeeping Co have now also managed to integrate sections into our training to discuss conditions like Angelman Syndrome, and others like it.

If you are thinking about hiring a nanny to help support your child with special needs, contact us today.