“When will the war be over, and will there be airplanes in the sky like it used to be?”
For the International Autism Awareness Day, we are presenting the “Not Invisible and Unbreakable. Stories about the lives and challenges of Ukrainian autistic children during the war” project. With the information support of INVAK.INFO, we are telling the stories of 12 families who have learned to live on after the tragic day of February 24, 2022. The families share their experiences and feelings, secrets of overcoming difficulties in Ukraine and abroad, and each family is united with an irrefutable belief in the soonest and most long-awaited Victory.
Danylo Iskiv – a 15-year-old cheerful and active autistic teenager from Lviv who misses a peaceful life. During the three years of war, the boy’s family went through the routine of military life. But despite the difficult circumstances, uncertainty and fear, the family is confidently walking its path of care and unity. The family helps others and fiercely believes in Victory.
February 24, 2022
Danylo’s family met the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion at home. The day before, the boy was alarmed by the conversations of adults he overheard. Danylo understood that the enemy was pulling up equipment to the borders of Ukraine, but the first few days were a time of disorientation for all. The boy was constantly interested in the details of the attack. He brought a map of Ukraine to understand what was happening and what to expect.
From the first days of the war, the family decided to stay in Lviv. According to Danylo’s mom, any change is too difficult for autistic children. One cannot envy those who have faced difficulties in adapting to a new place, a new routine, mentality, and language. In addition, at the time of the outbreak of hostilities, the family lived in a city far from the area of attack. Their faith in the Ukrainian Armed Forces was greater than their fear that the country could be completely overrun. Anna recalls that time:
“In the first months of the war, adults were riveted by the news, while children did not attend school and spent time at home. From the very beginning, our family joined in helping refugees. We had many developmental centers in the city, which we immediately converted into temporary shelters for families with autistic children who evacuated from the hottest spots and planned to head further abroad. Danylo helped to wash and hang bedding, carry boxes of food, clothes, and blankets. We also invited everyone to our house to take a bath, and my son kept asking why so many people were suddenly visiting our bathroom.”
During the war, Anna and her colleagues completed eight projects aimed at helping autistic children and their families with adaptation, development, and behavioral difficulties.
2025
Today, Danylo continues his studies at a typical school on an Inclusive basis. He has been attending it for a long time and enjoys it. The teachers know him well and love him, and support him, adapting the requirements to the teenager’s educational needs. The boy is comfortable among his peers, has friends who accept his peculiarities, and stand by his side. Danylo also has a personal assistant who helps him in difficult situations, including social issues. According to his mother, the atmosphere at school is a great achievement and good luck. In general, since the diagnosis, the family has been very lucky with professionals – doctors, educators, tutors, teachers: they are all involved, interested in helping, and never pass by. Of course, the main work falls on the shoulders of the parents. Ever since Danylo was little, the family has been studying and working with their son at home to develop and consolidate what he learned in kindergarten or developmental classes. Home has become a lifeline for Danylo, as it is where he calms down and adapts to the conditions of war:
“Home is the main support for Danylo. He has a familiar schedule, a familiar school and classes, people, things, and places. I can’t even imagine the stress that children and families face after a sudden forced change of home, when staying in another country requires adaptation to the environment, conditions, culture, and language.
Danylo calmly reacts to air raid alerts, the need to take shelter, warnings, and news of shelling. It’s scary to say, but my son is so accustomed to the realities of war that they don’t affect him. However, he asks every day when the war will end. He wants to see airplanes circling over Ukraine again, and dreams of traveling again. He dreams of stopping the deaths of innocent people, desperately believes in the soonest possible end to this terrible war,” says Anna.
She is sure that there is no special secret that helped adapt Danylo and his family to the conditions of war. Anna believes that the most important thing is support and love, sincere conversations, clear explanations, and shared dreams that will come true: “The calmness of parents is important for any child, because when everyone is excited, anxious, and frightened, this state is transmitted to the child. With us, Danylo seems to be even calmer than us, living his life. After all, when else can he live his life but in the present?”
