On World Autism Awareness Day, 26 takes a closer look at Christian's world and the tools his mother uses to help him grow.
Christian's bright eyes were immersed in his own world. The tiny child found a unique charm in repeating numbers, the alphabet, and the names of geometric shapes, organizing an environment around him that, far from his rituals, seemed chaotic.
At age 3, he said Mommy for the first time, after her insistence, who organized his nights with photos, showing him, over and over again, the family members. Christian built a castle through his imagination that still protects him; although, now, he has learned to open the doors.
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Dayana Almansa confesses that at first she didn't know how to deal with the autism diagnosis and channel her child's individualities. She tells me she endured all the stages, from the weight of denial to the thousand internal battles, until the strength of everyday life led her to follow the same paths her son showed her. Since then, she's been holding his hand.
She heard the news at the Neurodevelopment Center in Cárdenas, Matanzas, in a cold room so desolate that she associated the feeling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), "and nothing could be further from the truth." She returned home full of doubts and questions she didn't even know how to formulate.
In the wake of this accompanied loneliness, a WhatsApp group emerged, which currently brings together parents, grandparents, siblings, and anyone who has and loves a little one on the blue planet. What was once an attempt to share experiences has become a fellowship that has lasted more than a year.
“The group's greatest merit is that we help each other. We express our conflicts clearly. 'Look, I have this problem with my child. Has anyone else been through this?' And after a while, the life-saving messages arrive.”
“Not every day is a good day. Sometimes, we have many moments of denial or things aren't going well at school. The current education system isn't ready for our children, and the challenges are daily due to their individuality. There's still a lot of preparation needed. The group is there to support us.
“Recently, two mothers with newly diagnosed children joined us; we know what it feels like. The peace of mind that fills you when you hear that when they grow up, they will learn and become independent, that this is just a bad phase, that they'll be able to speak. Those words have a hard to calculate power.
“We answer all the questions. We hear time and again that childcare centers aren't prepared to include children with ASD, that we're not talking about an illness but a condition. We try to strengthen ourselves because we need it. That's the mission the group operates with today."
Dayana explains that they receive support from the Directorate of Education; they have teachers to advise them through the toughest times. But, above all, the goal calls for studying the subject, searching the internet, and learning how to raise an independent child.
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Christian is now 5 years old and has learned so much that his potential never ceases to amaze. Now, he is in love with animals and wants to touch them, understand them. On his blue planet, the world is harmonious and full of numbers and letters that sound as beautiful as his laughter. There, he has true friends.
His mother has chosen the path of support. Thanks to the many voices and green dots, life is a better place for her and for the child she loves to watch grow up.
