Help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)!
To provide their child with ASD to ABA therapy classes regularly (at least twice a week), the family has additional expenses – EUR 2,500 per year. Often, these are not the only costs borne by the family, and many families do not have the means to provide doctor-recommended therapies that would significantly improve a child’s chances of starting kindergarten and school, as well as enable them to integrate into society in the future. By donating to this program, you support a child’s development and his or her future opportunities!
DonateThe causes of ASD are still unknown, but on average one in 60 children worldwide is diagnosed with autism. There are currently 2,369 children diagnosed with ASD in Latvia (data of 2019). ASD is a lifelong developmental disorder that affects a person’s communication and understanding with others. Children with autism have difficulty understanding the world in a generally accepted way, have difficulty communicating with others, and therefore need to acquire skills that may be seen as given. Children with ASD have more limited opportunities to make friends or understand other people’s emotional expressions, and many also have learning difficulties.
The symptoms of ASD in children affect five main areas of functioning, which are:
- Impaired social interaction and communication skills
- Impaired imagination, ideas, creativity
- Gestures and non-verbal communication
- Sensory sensitivity
- Narrow range of interests, routine, repetitive behaviour
Structured support from professionals can make a real difference in the life of a child with ASD, helping them to master more skills. For children with ASD to develop as much of their potential as possible, to integrate into society, and most often to start talking or communicating in other ways, it is very important to attend regular ABA therapy sessions. ABA therapy (Applied Behaviour Analysis) is a special training and rehabilitation method developed specifically for children with ASD. It is based on cognitive-behavioural principles and is a very purposeful, structured, and intensive training of the child. ABA is a very effective method for developing communication skills and correcting unwanted behaviour.
Since 2018, the Children’s Hospital Foundation has been providing support to children with ASD by paying for ABA therapy and speech therapist sessions, as well as by paying for ASD diagnostics.
If in 2018 42 children received support worth more than EUR 110,000, in 2019 the initiative already helped 113 children whose therapies were paid for and 78 children whose ASD diagnostics was paid, the support exceeded EUR 208,000.
In 2020, more than 150 children have received, are receiving, or have started receiving support for their therapies. The total planned costs in 2020 exceed EUR 250,000.
Every week, the Foundation receives more and more requests for support from parents with children with ASD. Unfortunately, we encounter a regular and acute shortage of funds to support ABA therapies and speech therapist sessions.
There is virtually no state support for these children, and the only hope for families is non-governmental organizations raising funds through donations.
To provide their child with ABA therapy sessions regularly (at least twice a week), the family has additional expenses – EUR 2,500 per year. Often, these are not the only costs borne by the family, and many families do not have the means to provide doctor-recommended therapies that would significantly improve a child’s chances of starting kindergarten and school, as well as enable them to integrate into society in the future.
By donating to this program, you support a child’s development and his or her future opportunities!
