The Youngsters of Ukraine – AGE OF AUTISM
Yesterday, the world awoke to the news that Russia blitzed Ukraine. For many years, I worked with a behaviorist who began to travel to Ukraine as a Missionary for Special Education. She had children of her own with autism. She described the heartbreak of orphanages chock full of children with Down Syndrome, autism and other special needs. She lamented the UTTER and complete lack of basic services and care, even down to a simple vitamin at birth that can prevent hearing loss in babies with Down Syndrome. There were no classrooms for autism – children stayed at home. So few people walk the walk that they talk – not she. She adopted twin baby boys with Down Syndrome and brought them to New England, where they were treated with the finest medical care and began to thrive. That’s a photo of me holding chunk-a-munk Sammy. But her heart was with the thousands of children who had no one to look out for them, for the parents desperate for ways to help their children. She earned her PhD and started seminars across Ukraine on ABA and how to help children with autism. Thanks to her, programs started to sprout up, families had help. Not long ago, she and her family moved to Kyiv. The returned to the USA 2 weeks ago. I’m glad you and your family are safe. But I think of the children – and wonder how they will fare.
Ask yourself, what would MY family do if bombs rained down on my city, if I had to duck into a subway station as a makeshift bomb shelter, if I did not have the ZILLION things my children needed just to get through the day? Not to be glib, but imagine a day without Wifi?
Keep the families of Ukraine in your thoughts, especially the children with special needs.
Spasibo.
