Case story - Early intervention O.T.A.

DAVIDEK STORY

Iva a Milos Forejtarovi

Since his birth, my son David practically cried all the time. He only slept 3-6 hours a day in my arms. We discussed the situation with doctors. Doctors claimed that everything was caused by the abdominal pain, he suffered from a cow's milk protein allergy. We had known nothing just crying for long months. At fourteen months of his age, he was able to sleep for two hours in one block so we hoped he would get better. Davídek was not a happy baby who would have smiled at us, he did not show anything special, except crying. His sister suffered greatly, no one had the time for her. At that time I slept 5 hours a day at maximum. At fifteen months of his age, he began to walk, he watched English series for toddlers on the TV. He had fun alone. He counted, scattered and arranged things. He didn't cry so much anymore. But at seventeen months of his age, things got worse rapidly. He hated children's rhymes and games, he didn't use toys. His favourite things were two plastic rings. But I was wondering, why?! I was happy because he did not cry. Then we noticed that he was not looking at us at all. He still did not smile much, did not repeat, did not pointed. I discussed it with a doctor, but Davídek was still little. He only played with round plastic lids. He did it for ages. Than the summer came, Davídek ran around in the garden, ignored us, he did not answer the call, almost did not sleep again. I knew - there was something wrong with David. He had his own world, completely different from ours. Then came the time of his eighteen-months check-up and the M-CHAT-R questionnaire. Thanks God.

David was unmanageable and angry then. He stood for hours on the bridge over the expressway, looking down at cars, trucks, buses ... He said nothing, did not point to cars, did not wave. For days, months, every day... And I was there with him, desperate. And suddenly I realized that the summer holidays had been gone and we were still standing on the same bridge. It was February, I was cold, drizzle, Davídek turned second birthday.... And was completely broken. I still remember that feeling.
I didn't want to believe it. High probability of the autism spectrum disorder - what? But David's experienced pediatrician did not want to wait and forced me to act NOW. I didn't want to go anywhere for therapy, I didn't want to believe it! He was still so little. I wanted the check-up by
a pedopsychiatrist first. I wanted to hear that he had no problem, that he was just less advanced in mental, physical or social development than is usual for his age. I have held our pediatrician with respect for many years. I did what he suggested. I called the CTA. Thanks God! Davídek was 19 months old when we first met Dr. Straussová. I didn't know what to think about the therapy. Therapy based on the parent-child behaviour? Behaviour to a child who does not perceive his/her parent? What? I did not understand it! HOW? But our son showed us that it could work after the FIRST therapy. However, we still haven't had the worst behind us. David's fall lasted next seven long months. I was down at that time. Special testing confirmed ASD symptoms. I accompanied Davídek to the testing, I saw what my son was able and was not able to do. I had NO DOUBT.

When I did not spent hours on the bridge, I stood by the water barrel where my little boy was throwing small stones. When I wanted him to go home, he had tantrum. He filled half of a 300-liter barrel in two months. It was sad autumn and winter. In spring 2020, Davídek improved, he started to react/respond when he heard his name, smiled, pointed by finger at his favourite fruit. My hope was here! Finally! Our journey has not been easy, it is a story of immense suffering, crying, fear and hope.

Controlled stimulation of the parents can change the development of the child's brain, I heard it during the first therapy. In fact, I was able to imagine it in real life for the first time when I attended a seminar, where other three mothers presented the success of their children thanks to the O.T.A therapy. I was crying all the time. I finally understood. David is a toddler with ASD. But his brain can be affected! The first seven months of the therapy were not easy. But immediately after the first visit to the CTA, I began to hope again. I'm happy we started our therapy in time. If we had started therapy later on, he would have lost the most important time.

Since August 2020 my son had been attending a private kindergarten three times a week for two hours. The difference between him and the other children was still visible, indeed. The two hours, he spent in kindergarten, reflected his needs.

If he was in kindergarten longer, he would resorted to unwanted behaviour. He was overwhelmed with stimuli and needed a rest. He ran the line and rolled his eyes. But when we spent time with friends with one or two children, we didn´t observed unwanted behaviour on the contrary!

In September 2021 our son got an assistant at the private kindergarten and the boy continued attending kindergarten for 3.5 hours. If he did not have childhood illness or quarantine covid, he would have been able to attend kindergarten every day. According to the teacher, Davídek is able to participate in all activities. He still can't tell what he was doing at school that day, but he's already trying to share his experiences with us. He can also address a foreign child and make a contact with him and most importantly - David laughs. I laugh with him. He laughs every day, he perfectly understands what I say, he is interested in playing and he plays games with us like dominoes and so on. He is interested in being with children, knows rhymes, he can read and monitor emotions and speaks beautifully! He wants to do everything his older sister does.

When he was tired of the kindergarten, he lined up or spun and looked at the world in his own way. Fortunately, that is no longer true today. I believe those days will never return. At the age of 3,5 years Davídek went out from the clinical picture of a child with ASD.

It's not always perfect. When he is not rested as he would need, he resorts (to us) to unwanted behaviour. He is in his own world, he has his special hobbies, but for us it is all a giant success. I know what we achieved together and how we manage it. I believe we will succeed.

I am grateful to our pediatrician, who forced me to start solving the situation immediately, as well as Dr. Straussová and her CTA team for the MIRACLE.