Andrey, aged 5 is autistic. He and his two siblings are being raised by their mother following the parent’s divorce. The family shares a 2 room apartment in Kyiv with the grandparents who are retired. The father served with the Ukrainian Army until he was discharged due to injury; he is unable to provide financial support.
Andrey’s mother cannot work, as he requires constant attention. Unfortunately, continuous air attacks on Kyiv forced Andrey and his family to spend more than 40 days in a bomb shelter early in the war, and the centers for children with disabilities were closed. This resulted in major setbacks in Andrey’s progress. His mother worked hard with Andrey on skills and techniques she learned from the professionals, but he regressed and started displaying aggression and other challenging behaviors.
Our staff were able to identify specialists who spent many hours working with Andrey (speech therapy, sensory integration, and exercise therapy), yielding positive results. Two months ago Andrey visited a psychiatric clinic where his diagnosis was formalized and he was given long term treatment plans to address his autism and mild intellectual disability.
The ongoing crisis with frequent rocket attacks and sirens are particularly harmful for children like Andrey who cannot understand what is happening, resulting in much stress and anxiety. It is critical that Andrey continues his treatment to avoid further setbacks and allow him to progress to his fullest potential. The family cannot afford the necessary care; accordingly we provide regular and ongoing support.
With your help, we save lives and restore hope, for Andrey and thousands of others.
