Our story

The diagnosis
Formaly OMER was diagnosed on November 1997, when he was a liitle more than one and a half years old. To be honest, it is possible that OMER could be diagnosed earlier becuase our parents (the two grand parents couples) noticed that something is "wrong" a few month before OMER diagnosed. We, as young & stabern parents, refused to accept their diagnosis, but finally we went to a private doctor who specialized in child development (and the rest is written above).

This private doctor examined OMER thoroughly and wrote a detailed letter that its bottom line (double meaning) is "suspicion of development delay - PDD". The words development delay was written in HEBREW while the letters PDD was in ENGLISH. We asked for explanation and we got it we were in shock and fear.

After short recovery we went with this letter to the Center of the Child Development in our local area. The treatment included an hour per week meating with a social worker.

The Treatment
We did it by rotation - one week Ruthie went with OMER, the week after Doron went with OMER and the third we (Ruthie & Doron) went without OMER. Today we can say that this treatment was mainly for us - the socail worker tried very hard to reduce our self accusation, feeling of bad parenthood etc.

Meanwhile we met the center devlopment doctor, and he did many tests to OMER include EEG, MRI, spine liquid, and of course blood and urine tests. Nothing what so ever was found on these tests, except of something on the EEG that proved to be meaningless.

Milman Center
When time went by we realized that one hour a week is not enough. We asked for a place in which we can get more treatment hours. We started to go to MILMAN CENTER - we got there tow days of treatment, each day included three treatment one-on-one with the parent (dad or mom). In adition, we joined to a supporting group of parents with the same age children in the center, where we participate our thoughts and difficulties.

Few months after we started to go to MILMAN CENTER, the center moved to its new place and a special kindergarten was opened. We were offred to put OMER in the kindergarten - we put OMER there and he blossomed.

The Education System
In ISRAEL the special education law starts at age 3, so only last year we were able to put OMER in an official kindergarten. The kindergarten at MILMAN CENTER is private and cost us a lot and our bank account was very down. Official kindergarten is free of cahrge, although practicly we pay but much less than before. Beside the money, OMER was the oldest child in MILMAN kindergarten and it seemed that he should move and be with bigger children.

Omer started the new and free of cahrge kindergarten on March 1999 and he is very happy there. He joined well with the other kids and the stuff very well.

On the next year (started on September 2000) his teacher initiated and started inclusion with Omer. The inclusion was a good success - Omer was part of the activities in the kindergarten and the "usual" children accepted Omer very well.

Moving to the Galil made us to move Omer to HORSHA school in kibuz HANITA - this is a special school for PDD children with a kindergarten class. On September 2002, the HORSHA school moved near Acco.
After last Passover last year (2002) Omer started inclusion in TUVAL kindergarten - two days a week for 2 hours at a time. The inclusion is going well for Omer and for the kids - they are all getting to know him and Omer is learning and adjusting the new environment. In the comming school year we hope to enlarge the inclusion.

ALUT
ALUT is the Israeli foundation for autistic children and adults. We joined the foundation on the very begining of our story, and on Sptember 2000 Doron was elected as a member of the board director of the foundation.