Author:
Mariia Kucova
According to the World Health Organisation, about 1 in 100 children worldwide is born with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). And according to the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, as of 2023, every 36th child has autism.
Over 20,000 children in Ukraine are diagnosed with ASD. This number increases by 30% every year. These children benefit greatly from stability, repetitive activities, or maintaining a daily routine. However, the ongoing war, with its air raid alerts, shellings, and forced evacuations, disrupts the routines that are crucial for maintaining stability in a child’s life. Many children do not have or have limited access to attend the rehabilitation courses. These factors cause setbacks in development, loss of acquired skills, and acute anxiety for many of children with ASD.
ASD rehabilitation program paths can include behavioral therapy, sensory correction, speech development assistance, and sometimes physical rehabilitation. The rehabilitation programs focus on developing a child’s strengths and foster adaptation to social life.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, our Foundation has supported 219 children with ASD, providing them with 377 rehabilitation courses. The child can receive 1 to 2 courses (up to 4 months of rehabilitation). All the costs are covered by the Foundation, thanks to our donors.
The fulfillment of these programs is essential for children to maintain or regain the progress they have already achieved. The conditions of war underscore the significant need for such support, leading us to increase our efforts to support children with ASD.
Help us continue this work, and contribute to their resilience! Support the resilience of Ukrainian children with Autism Spectrum Disorder affected by war.
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