Two years ago, LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB became a safe space for IDP children on the autism spectrum. Some families have been with us from the beginning, while others have joined us recently. The hub’s team is happy to see the lion cubs grow, reach their potential, acquire necessary skills, and even make friends and attend school!
The war deprives Ukrainian children of safety and opportunities for development. For children with ASD, this is especially difficult: stress and changes in the environment can cause serious regression. For two years LEVCHYK methodologists have been helping children acquire the most essential life skills, communicate with the world and their peers, and successfully integrate into society.
"The statistics are disappointing, the number of families with children with autism is increasing significantly (according to this data, the number of children has increased from one in a hundred to one in thirty-six). We have 43 children in our center. Over the past two years, more than 60 children have received such support," says Liudmyla Mamalyha, a methodologist at the LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB.
Over the two years, the center has expanded, moved to a new location, introduced new classes (dark room, art therapy, school preparation class, music room), and introduced special testing based on the Merrill-Palmer-Revised Scales of Development. A world-renowned child development assessment scale that is the first diagnostic methodology for the youngest. Early diagnosis is the key to the successful integration of children with ASD into society.
“At the age of one year, parents begin to notice certain abnormalities. Children do not respond to the name. It is difficult to maintain eye contact. They do not imitate the behavior of adults. The lack of such skills is one of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. If parents have concerns, they should visit a neurologist with a child. The doctor will give recommendations if it is necessary to work with a psychiatrist. It is important to start correctional help as soon as possible: the smaller the child, the better the neuroplasticity of his/her brain is,” the expert comments.
Olha Lobanova, who is raising an 8-year-old son on the spectrum, shares her story about her child's diagnosis:
“Sasha has been developing normally until he was 1.7 months old like a normal child. Then he got infected with an infectious croup, and after taking antibiotics, the child became silent. He did not make a single sound for a year. I was told: “Wait, he will speak!”. No one referred us to a psychiatrist for a long time... I kept hearing from doctors: “He will outgrow it... He will talk”. The child was 3.5 years old when an experienced psychiatrist eventually confirmed that it was autism.”
"I hoped he would speak, communicate and respond to his name. We noticed the symptoms when our son was six months or one year old. As soon as we walked into the psychiatrist's office, she said: "Autism." When you get a diagnosis, it's like a closed door opens in front of you and gives you some options to solve the problem. Here at the LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB, the specialists helped us understand our child and learn how to help him," says Olha, mother of Yaroslav, who has been visiting the hub for two years.
In 2024 alone, 55 IDP children with autism spectrum disorders received more than 8,500 correctional classes at LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB which helped them to develop necessary skills and adapt to society’s life.
"We try to create conditions where our children feel comfortable and receive complex help. We develop individual learning programs for them. All of our specialists work with children as a team. Our main task is to bring the child close to normal development," says Liudmyla Mamalyha, a methodologist at the center.
To celebrate the anniversary, at the end of February, the hub hosted an event to bring together children, parents, methodologists, and the media. The animator’s entertainment, bright balloons, and delicious cake completed the atmosphere of celebration. With our partners, Charivna Kulka and DANTE Kids, we arranged the warmest memories for the children and turned the hub into a real center of celebration and fun. We are grateful to photographer Kate Kuzemko for capturing these happy moments.
We sincerely thank the patrons who support the LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB, particularly our partner NOVA UKRAINE for the grant provided. Thanks to you, our lion cubs’ small successes and their smiles are possible!
