Ukrainian NGO working with people with autism made an open Appeal to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in response to the report “Review of Ukraine: Medical experiments on autistic children ” submitted by the Autistic Minority International to the 14th session of this UN Committee.
“We respect the interest that Autistic Minority International shows to the situation of people with autism in Ukraine, but would like to provide our experience and our position in regards to the real issues and situation of people with autism in Ukraine”, – starts the Appeal of “Public Union for the Protection of the rights of persons with autism spectrum disorders” (Kiev), Foundation for Children with autism “Child with future” (Kiev), Charitable Foundation “Association of parents of children with autism” (Kiev) and Charitable Foundation “Rainbow Children” (Severodonetsk).
Indicated above Report talked about autism treatment by stem cells in Ukraine, but according to experts, “”treatment” of autism with stem cells is not generally known or common method of treatment in Ukraine”. The authors of the open Appeal made focus on what really excites and important today for people with autism:
1. The lack of recognition and understanding by the legislators, professionals of all fields and by the general public of the fact that children and adults with autism are parts of their respective the age groups and should be fully incorporated into the laws, programs and services that exist for those groups.
2. Lack of understanding of the nature of autism spectrum disorders by the legislators and professionals (academic and practical levels of all fields – medicine, education, social protection, etc.). It leads to the fact that the system of support is focused on “finding and promises” of cure rather than the development of children with autism.
3. There is a vicious and widespread practice, when by the decision MSEK (medical-social expert commissions) diagnoses of autism spectrum for persons of 18years of age changed to such diagnoses as schizophrenia or developmental disability. A child, who has reached the 18th birthday, even looses right to have his/her own diagnosis. Thus, today in Ukraine, there are almost no adults with autism.
4. The lack of support/respite for families with children / adults with autism spectrum disorders.
Download full text of Appeal
