The war in Ukraine and the tragic consequences of Russia’s treacherous attack on our homeland have left no one behind. All countries of the civilized world have rallied together to create a front to help children – informational, didactic, humanitarian, etc. 

Our American colleagues from the Els for Autism Foundation, in particular, Speech Language Pathologist: Clinical Fellow Mya Holloran, have prepared useful content for families raising children with special needs in war times. These are: 

• visual communication boards in English and Ukrainian;
• “Now-Then” sequence boards in English and Ukrainian;
• a social story about the war in Ukraine “Russia and Ukraine” – Ukrainian and English versions.

Thanks to our American colleagues of the Els for Autism Foundation for this useful content, so much needed for autistic children in super-complex wartime of unpredictability and anxiety. 

Glory to Ukraine! 

The coordinated interaction of parents and professional teachers on the basis of an individual approach to each special child will help. Such a practice, for example, is demonstrated by a kindergarten for children with autism “Child with future”.

Experts emphasize that the main thing that a future pupil should be able to do is to communicate with other people. It is about the necessary vocabulary, the ability to start a dialogue and maintain it, know the necessary gestures and understand in which situations they should be used, as well as voice, including adjusting the volume and timbre.

Rehabilitation experts add that preparation for inclusion is a child’s understanding of his body, its feelings and signals. At the right time, he must adequately respond to the events taking place around him, which is impossible to achieve without understanding his own body.

In addition, to be ready for school, a child must be able to imitate peers and work with notebooks and textbooks. During the lesson, he should focus on the learning process. By the way, a child’s assistant can help with this, he often accompanies autistic people in an inclusive learning space.

However, it is important to remember that preparing for inclusion is not just about working with children with SEN. The school itself, future classmates of a special child, and their parents should be properly prepared. These are elements of the compulsory complex, without the combination of which the school process will not give the desired result, and the principle of inclusion will not work in full.

Market volume

Vaccines. The vaccine market is estimated at $36,5 billion now and should exceed the $50 billion mark in 2023. It is growing at a rate of 6,7% (https://bit.ly/2T9uxQc). Also, the market for dietary supplements was almost $ 124 billion last year, and it will be over $ 205 billion in 2023. The annual growth rate is 9,6%. The market for dietary supplements is almost four times larger than the vaccine market (https://goo.gl/taExtV).
At the same time, the total global pharmaceutical market is estimated at $ 934,8 billion, its growth will be 5,8% in the coming years (https://goo.gl/JrwqYE) and will reach the level of $ 1,5 trillion by 2025.
These data are huge and impressive figures, which show that the share of homeopathy in the total ‘boiler’ is insignificant, but it is stable and even tends to grow steadily. In other words, it means that some people in the world believe in homeopathy and are its admirers and followers.
Now let us understand the definition of the term ‘homeopathy’. Wikipedia gives it an extensive description, but here we will limit ourselves to a part of it.
“Homeopathy” (from Greek. ὅμοιος – ‘similar’ and πάθος – ‘disease’) is a type of alternative medicine. Homeopathy uses highly diluted medicines whose active ingredient causes symptoms similar to those of the patient in healthy people. Homeopaths oppose the concept of treatment based on the principle of ‘similar is cured by similar’ (lat. Similia similibus curantur) to the principles of rational pharmacotherapy.”

Now let’s get to the essence of the question in the title.

First (and we never get tired of repeating it), there are no magic pills for autism in either traditional or alternative medicine. Autism is not a disease, but a disorder, so it is not treated but corrected. Even if you are recommended the best homeopath in the world, who guarantees you a cure for autism by some super expensive homeopathic remedy, – you are misled. You can either take your interlocutor at his word or subject his promises to reasonable doubt. The choice is yours, and only yours.
Research shows that parents most often turn to homeopathy as a lifeline, believing that the main cause of autism is vaccination. Some parents blame the MMR vaccine, whose children experienced short-term, autistic-like deterioration after receiving this vaccine: fever, temporary hearing loss, inflammation of the intestines.
This approach is quite common among parents of autistic children, and it can be understood, but it should always be remembered that such findings have not been scientifically confirmed. This position is very close to the convinced consumers of homeopathy, who believe that the official medicine ‘does not cure, but hurts’, and homeopathy solves the problem comprehensively for the whole body and also ecologically, without chemistry, which in many cases, we must admit, is true. This is the main prerequisite for the existence of the ‘autism- homeopathy’ link.
Several other factors make the ‘autism-homeopathy’ link attractive to consumers and stem from the very philosophy and nature of homeopathy as alternative medicine.
Homeopaths love people who are different, whose symptoms are strange, unique, and unusual. Quite often we hear that homeopaths treating autistic children focus on identifying a child’s differences from other ones. Symptoms such as tiptoeing, clapping hands, and obsessing over trains may seem strange and not characteristic of many children, but for autistic children, they are known to be common. And although we always welcome the identification of individual differences in a child, this is not only about homeopathy, and even more, so does not indicate that representatives of homeopathy in this context are unique. An individual approach to each autistic child (as well as to each neurotype individual) should be taken by all specialists.

Autism treatment with homeopathy

Another advantage of homeopaths is called ‘ a complex approach’. A traditional doctor or even a cholist, as well as doctors of some unconventional types of treatment, will usually solve each problem separately. Homeopathic medicine, according to homeopaths, can relate to all these symptoms. Of course, parents have a choice, and they can add something else, such as a diet without casein and gluten, diet supplements, to occupy a child, to try sensory integration treatment, and other things that may be beneficial.
It is also important that homeopathic remedies are very tasty and children take them with pleasure.
Thus, we can conclude that homeopathy has the right to be present in autistic people’s life, but, as in other cases, it is an independent choice of responsible parents and certainly not a panacea for either autism or other problems of any person.
In general, homeopathic specialists are doing a good thing, if these experts are good and experienced. But the comprehensiveness, versatility, and regularity of actions, let us repeat, is the most effective tool for autism therapy. With or without homeopathy.

That is why IRCs determine the special educational needs of schoolchildren and advise on how teachers should work with them. They also provide recommendations to parents.

IRCs were established in Ukraine several years ago. They replaced PMPC (psychological, medical and pedagogical consultation). The advantages of the IRC include a comprehensive assessment of special educational needs, ongoing psychological support for parents and children, as well as continuous support.

In addition, inclusive resource centers operate only on internationally recognized methods of diagnosis and psychological and pedagogical assessment. In order to observe the child during the learning process their representatives can come to school and teach personnel.

According to the methods of the new Ukrainian school (NUS), IRCs are being formed due to certain principles. For example, one inclusive resource center can not work for more than 7,000 children in a district and for more than 12,000 children in a city. If there are more children the IRC should raise the awareness of professionals.

Regarding the number of inclusive resource centers in Ukraine, – they are more than 600. However, the Ministry of Education and Science promises that by the end of 2020 there will be more than 96 IRCs.

At this stage, there are no significant differences in inclusive education in a private or general education school (we do not take into account fees). The availability of the necessary material and technical base and infrastructure in an educational institution varies depending on the desire of the school leadership to participate in the development of inclusive education. It can even be said that nowadays there is much in common in the adaptation of children with special needs in educational institutions of different forms of ownership, in society as a whole. Only through the joint efforts of various specialists, such as doctors, school teachers and kindergarten teachers, social workers and local government officials, a tolerant attitude of society towards special children can be formed so that their socialization takes place.

In Ukraine, there are certain requirements and rules for all educational institutions regarding the organization and conduct of inclusive education, specified in the law No. 2541-VIII on the access of persons with special educational needs to educational services. This law is the basis for the development of inclusive education in the country. The number of inclusive resource centers is growing, in 2020 there are already more than 600 throughout Ukraine. Interactive online maps have appeared in the country, on which parents can easily find a kindergarten or school with an inclusive approach. The process is underway, inclusive learning is gradually taking its place in the education system. The choice of the form and place of education belongs to the parents. But so far not all Ukrainian schools (both private and general education) are ready to accept such children. In addition, it is necessary to give the management time to technically prepare the possibility of staying in it for a special child, prepare a teacher, if necessary, an assistant, and it is advisable to introduce such a child to the students in advance. This is especially important for autistic people. Regardless of where your special child is studying – in a private school or in a general education – there is always a risk that he may not be accepted by peers or he may become an “unwanted student” for the parents of other children and even teachers. To minimize this risk, it is imperative to prepare the team of teachers and children for the arrival of such a child in advance, and this is the function of the parents.

At the moment, many difficulties are due to the fact that children need a long period of adaptation to various learning conditions in a general educational environment, and even during this period of adaptation, children with autism spectrum disorders may experience inappropriate behavior, affective outbursts, up to verbal and non-verbal aggression towards others. In this regard, it becomes necessary to work out the conditions and forms of inclusion or integration of such a child into the educational environment, well-thought-out and well-organized methodological work with teachers. This requires separate classes with specialists, or, even better, take care of these problems while your child is still a preschooler, place him in a correctional kindergarten. This is a kind of intermediate link in preparing for an inclusive or regular educational institution, for example, like our kindergarten «Child with future» https://childfuture.kiev.ua is a well-thought-out system of training and education, taking into account the individual characteristics and level of development of each child.

Today, no one knows for sure how many children with special educational needs are in Ukraine. We have the following figures: about 165,000 children and the lowest rate of inclusion in Europe – about 6% of schools with inclusion, where there are on average one or two classes with one or two children with special educational needs. In Ukraine, the total number of private schools in the 2018/2019 academic year was 228, and their number has been growing annually since 2014. Kiev is a leader in the market for private and correctional schools: about 30% of all private schools in the country.

Special child’s integration into the educational process

The integration of a special child into the learning process may vary. Inclusion for autistic pupils at school may look like a partial stay (i.e., only at some lessons) or full inclusion at a regular class. Also, a school may have a separate class for pupils with special educational needs.
Inclusive or special classes have been established on an application from the child’s parents and the inclusive resource center’s conclusion today.
Working with all children and their parents is also an important step in creating a foundation for educating autistic children. It is necessary not only to introduce them to the concept of ‘autism’ but also to tell how it manifests itself individually in the pupil(s) who will study with their children. All of this will contribute not only to the formation of tolerant attitudes towards autism but will also prevent most likely negative reactions.

Influence on autistic behavior will be effective only if approached comprehensively. It is necessary to choose all possible occupations to develop and form necessary skills. Each to be based on an individual approach.

Developmental centers for children with autism can be full-time or part-time. Of course, everything depends on the level of a child, but first mentioned are much more effective, because there are more opportunities for autistic people in such an environment. They will work in small groups, – which will promote faster socialization, and individually, – which will help identify those gaps in the child’s skills that still need to be filled.

The Autism Developmental Center should provide its clients with professional educators who know how to work with special children and what to avoid during classes.

This is how “Child with a Future” kindergarten/center for children with special needs choses specialists. Here children of 1-7 years are engaged in groups or taking individual courses. The list of services includes classes with a psychologist, speech pathologist, speech therapist, adaptive physical education, art, game, music therapy and much more. In addition, each child is offered a behavior correction program, wellness massage and diet.

Any developmental center for autistic people should always focus on the result and understanding that each child has different ASD manifestations, without which it is impossible to build the work of specialists.

A psychologist for autistic children

The main working areas of a child psychologist – not only for children with ASD but also for neurotypical children – include the following:

• counseling the child’s parents;
• individual sessions with a child;
• psychodiagnostic of child’s and parental relations;
• psychodiagnostic of the child’s personality;
• therapy classes with a child;
• individual developmental classes with a child;
• group developmental activities with a child;
• conducting seminars and trainings for parents.

It is quite obvious that play techniques work best for young children. Autistic children are no exception in this respect, but a child psychologists note some features working with them. The ‘Child with a future’ kindergarten psychologist Yana Yurchenko says about this.

The game of children with ASD (autism spectrum disorders) is usually non-functional, not socialized, devoid of plot and symbolic features, rigid, monotonous, and consists of repeated manipulations with toys (which are not used for their intended purpose) or non-game unstructured materials (such as sticks, water, sand, pieces of cloth, scraps of paper).
Therefore, such children should be taught to play, starting with the development of subject-game actions based on the child’s interest in a particular toy or situation. It is necessary to take into account the child’s game preferences: at first, a toy that the child likes or knows well. The adult offers the child to perform object and game actions on imitation, repeatedly repeats them and accompanies the game with speech comments. Later, the action with the toy moves on to the plot and image game. Children are taught to play first next to their partner, and then together with their peers to create a storyline game. It is only gradually that children are brought together in micro-groups during the game.
Children’s team playing is closely related to their perceptions about relationships between people. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly form and enrich children’s ideas about the role of each member of the family, about how people communicate with each other. The game fosters socially acceptable norms of relationships between people and teaches them to subordinate their behavior to the requirements of the situation and moral norms.
Children experience a variety of sensations throughout their lives and different age periods. And it is quite natural that they together lead to a wide range of problems to one extent or another. As our and our other colleagues experience shows, parents most often turn to specialists when their children have the following obsessive and repetitive things:

• aggressive and impulsive behavior;
• isolation;
• hysterics and whims;
• bad habits (biting or chewing nails, sucking objects);
• shyness and timidity;
• increased anxiety;
• resentment;
• stubbornness;
• fears;
• permanent failure at the kindergarten or school;
• inattention;
• difficulties in retelling and memorizing texts;
• over-exhaustion;
• poor classroom performance with good home performance;
• difficulties in adapting to kindergarten and school;
• communication problems with peers and adults;
• visible disorders in the development of cognitive processes (memory, speech, thinking, attention);
• low self-esteem and self-doubt;
• increased excitability and hyperactivity;
• strong reluctance to learn;
• psychosomatic problems (enuresis, encopresis);
• jealousy and competition between brothers and sisters, etc.

This list can still be continued, but the main thing is that parents shouldn’t ignore it, turning a blind eye to important issues for their child. There are a lot of cases when parents decide to visit the psychologist. All of them are not listed in this material, but we do not set such a task to ourselves. We just need to understand the essence and objectives of the ‘child psychologist’ profession.
And one more thing from the universal. Very often a child psychologist is referred to (and properly done) during the most significant periods of the child’s growing up.
At first, parents receive recommendations on how to prepare a child for kindergarten.
The second time – they check his readiness for the first grade, for going to school.
The third time – check the child’s readiness to go to school during a very difficult teenage period.
Let us allow ourselves a few, as it seems to us, necessary words at the end. The teenage age for all our children has always been and will always be extremely important and extremely difficult. It is clear: this is the only period in the life of each of us, when the individual’s social situation of development becomes sharply and very seriously complicated, his focus is transferred from parents to peers, in an incomprehensible way, intimate and personal relationships come into play, there is a need to obtain and confirm his status in life, a feeling of adulthood appears, but there are not many reasons for his social and physical confirmation, etc.
And no matter how advanced parents are (or consider themselves), the teenage period of their child comes suddenly for most of them, and very often parents, alas, feel victims of this period first of all themselves. This is not only a subjective feeling but also a good reason to visit a psychologist together with their child to pass this ‘trial’ period for each family with minimal losses. We hope that this will be the case for your family.

However, parents must take care of this in advance – before their children go to first grade. Because all school staff must be willing to accept a child with special educational needs. To do this they must take care not only of the necessary specialists, including the teacher’s assistant, but also of the methodological base or equipment. Thus, the school has time to create a comfortable environment for all students in an inclusive classroom.

What about child’s assistant?

His parents must provide child’s assistant if necessary, as this position is considered non-pedagogical. This function can be performed by the student’s mother or father, or a person authorized by them. The opening of an inclusive class involves the payment by the state of appropriate subventions to children with SEN.

In addition, a team of professionals should develop an individual program for such students, discussing it with parents. It is also necessary for the teacher of the inclusive class and his assistant to communicate with the latter and get acquainted with the conclusion of the IRC. They need to know all the features of the child with SEN.

Only through the organized cooperation of parents, school management, teachers and children the educational process to be effective for all students in an inclusive classroom.