Life with autism – a courageous journey. 2

Even before his birth, Artem was already fighting for his life – due to the premature rupture of amniotic fluid, he spent 14 hours without it. Doctors believe this might have affected his development. Outwardly, he grew up active and healthy, but by the age of three, he still hadn’t spoken a word. His mother, Tetiana, noticed that her son reacted strongly to loud sounds, covered his ears, and waved his hands – as if trying to protect himself from a world that was too noisy and overwhelming. Medical examinations confirmed that Artem is on the autism spectrum.

Today, Artem is 15 years old – a sincere, bright, and curious boy studying in the ninth grade. His favorite subjects are English and computer science. He loves horses, Lego, swimming in the river, and discovering new things. Artem enjoys reading about great people from history and dreams of one day leaving his own mark on the world.

Thanks to therapy sessions at the Step by Step Rehabilitation Center, Artem has become calmer, more confident, and more open. He participates in workshops, excursions, and even completed a cooking course – proudly treating his mom to meals he prepared himself.

To continue this progress, Artem needs regular sessions with a psychologist, speech therapist, and special education teacher, as well as hippotherapy. For him, this isn’t just rehabilitation – it’s a path to feeling supported, believing in himself, and seeing that the world can be kind and welcoming.

When the full-scale war began, the family lost their home in Kakhovka, which was occupied from the very first day. Tetiana packed three suitcases and took her son to a safer place. Now they live in Vyshneve, near Kyiv – and it’s here that Artem has started to smile again.

Tetiana raises Artem on her own, but this story isn’t only about the two of them. It’s about all of us – those who believe that kindness can truly change lives. Every contribution you make is a step toward Artem’s brighter future, where he can grow, make friends, and be happy.