The 10-year-old was diagnosed at a young age with several conditions, including autism, a chromosomal duplication and sensory processing disorder.

These have led to developmental and language delays – he has trouble connecting his thoughts with his speech – and affect how he interacts with the world around him, with busy places and social outings often proving to be difficult to handle.

Last year, he was also discovered to have glaucoma, which has damaged his vision and means he needs a cane to move around.

While he is enrolled at Kalianna School, he suffers from such bad anxiety and panic attacks that he can currently only attend for about nine hours a week.

But his mother, Rita Annesi-Belleggia, has come upon something she hopes will give him greater independence and confidence, making his journey in the world that much easier: an autism assistance mobility dog.

After applying to a number of organisations, she made it onto the waiting list for Smart Pups Australia.

While training the dog especially to meet Sebastian’s needs could take up to two years once the money is together, Ms Annesi-Belleggia looks forward to the positive impact it will have on her son’s life.

“It will reduce his anxiety… and make him more independent, and confident in himself in engaging with the community,” she said.

Ms Annesi-Belleggia hopes the dog will not only make life easier for Sebastian, but also her two older children, Thomas, 13, and Emilia, 12.

They too have autism and other conditions, but Sebastian often relies on them for communication and engaging with others.

But before Smart Pups Australia can even begin training a dog especially for Sebastian, Ms Annesi-Belleggia needs to put $20,000 towards the dog by early next year.

All up, she said, the dog could cost up to $30,000.

So Ms Annesi-Belleggia has organised some community fundraising events to try get together the money needed to help her son.

The first will be a screening of The Incredibles 2 at Bendigo Cinemas at 2.30pm on Sunday, June 17.

In September, professional photographer Chris Epworth will also help out with a fundraiser by taking portraits for a special price. 

For more information on how to help, call Ms Annesi-Belleggia on 0447 711 243, visit the Smart Pups Australia page for Sebastian, or visit Sebastian’s fundraising Facebook page.