In Search for a Better Tomorrow
When I first heard the diagnosis, I felt lost. Millions of questions were swimming inside my head about my son's future. At two years old, Kubuś was not communicating in any way, he was screaming, not pointing his finger at things. It wasn’t possible to communicate with him, he had various stereotypic behaviors and drastically limited his diet to just a few products. Thanks to the rapidly implemented ECD (early childhood development) support therapy, after a few months of painstaking work, my son slowly began to speak. Then, through five years of intensive work, we managed to open him up to the world around him. Today Kuba is just like his peers: smiling, able to relate to other children. He has friends, his own interests, shows affection, talks, loves math, and has above average intelligence. The only thing we have not been able to overcome is food selectivity. It may seem like a trivial problem, but in the years to come it can have very serious consequences for Kuba's health. Food selectivity in children on the autism spectrum is more than simple pecking or pickiness. It cannot be overcome by starving the child in order to make them eat something else or by being creative in arranging colors, sizes, textures, etc. on the plate. Food selectivity is a strongly ingrained blockage in the mind. It’s like a massive wall that prevents the child from trying something else that is outside of their repeated pattern. In Kuba's case, it has been the same food every day for many years: pork chops, garlic baguette, and peanut crisps. Kuba doesn't know the taste of, for example, pasta, dumplings, vegetables or fruits, and any attempt to persuade him to try these products ends up in outbursts of anger, hysteria, and a gag reflex even at the mere smell of certain foods. One doesn’t have to be an expert to know that the consequences of this for Kuba's health can be very serious in the future. Nutrient deficiencies in his body have already taken their toll. A few months ago, Kuba became chronically ill due to a lack of fiber in his diet. The treatment in this case is long-term as the ailment recurs every once in a while. I want to help my child to start eating properly and avoid severe health complications in the future as a consequence of poor nutrition. I have found a specialist who has knowledge and experience in this field and, most importantly, has succeeded in treating food selectivity in children on the autism spectrum. This gives us hope that we will be able to help Kuba, and that successful therapy will be a chance for him to live a normal life without the limitations related to his food selectivity and without the fear for his health going forward. Unfortunately, the therapy is very expensive; it is as much as PLN 1200-1500 per month. The therapy can also take up to a year which adds up to a considerable amount. My fear is that after 2-3 months we will have to give it up due to lack of money, and all the achieved effects will go to waste. That's why I'm asking for your help. Even the smallest amount makes a big difference. All money raised will be used to pay for the feeding therapy. Help me fight for a better future for my child. Kuba’s mom – Katarzyna *The amount is an estimate