This is our lovely son, Tript. He was born in 2019 and is our only child. We look back on the first 12 months as one of the happiest moments in our lives.

However, around 14 months of age, his life completely changed. He stopped making eye contact and stopped interacting with us. We tried to connect with him, but he never babbled any words and never waved goodbye.

We wanted to get early treatment for him. After a year-long battle with the UK healthcare system, we managed to get through. Recently, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Global Developmental Delay, significant social interaction difficulties, persistent behavioral and sensory difficulties, and severe speech and language delays.

Autism is a lifelong developmental, incurable disability that affects all aspects of life. People with autism cannot lead a "normal" life. They require early intervention, support, and care for the rest of their lives. Since we became concerned, we as parents have been going through immense stress, anxiety, and depression. We do not know how to help our child in the most appropriate and effective way.

For Tript, this condition involves:

No ability to communicate with anyone around him, including his parents. He doesn't respond to his name. He is non-verbal and does not understand any form of communication. We do not know whether he will ever be able to speak or how he will learn and express himself in school and in society.

Sensitivity to many known and unknown things, such as the type of clothes, food temperature, texture, taste, food types, type of floor, nature, terrains, noises, lights, weather, and environment. His life choices are very limited. His reactions to many things are not like those of a typical child.

He has walked on his toes since he was one year old and prefers to go barefoot. He is very sensitive to different terrains. We live in a terraced house. Due to his physical impairment, he cannot walk past the neighbors' houses and stays in the pram most of the time. He also likes to hold his mom’s fingers when she pushes the pram, which is impossible for her, so I have to be there to push it. He likes to stay bare-bodied and barefoot, which makes it difficult for us to dress him appropriately for the weather.

He is unable to digest his food completely. He can only eat certain types of food, and whatever he eats comes out as it is.

He cannot get consistent, relaxed sleep. He wakes up several times in the middle of the night and cries for hours. We do everything we can to comfort him, such as putting him on our shoulder, taking late-night car rides, or cooking food in the middle of the night. We end up sleeping at around 2-3 a.m.

A full 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a dream for us. Due to his sensory needs, he continuously rubs his mom’s lips, pokes her teeth, and gums all night. The moment his mom gets out of bed, he wakes up, and putting him back to sleep starts a long and tiring cycle of settling him again. His mom is physically and mentally exhausted.

He is over-affectionate. He does not leave his mother alone and cries a lot if he doesn’t see her around. He kisses her every single minute and drags her face to kiss her, which makes her very uncomfortable and stressed.

He has severe intellectual impairment. He has no sense of danger and zero understanding. Therefore, it is very difficult for us to make him understand how to stay away from dangers. To ensure his safety and security, one of us always has to keep an eye on him.

He cannot handle even simple and temporary changes to his daily routine. Any change causes a meltdown with screaming. In addition, he exhibits self-injurious behavior. He slaps himself, strikes his head on walls, floors, the pram frame, and doors, or hits himself with anything within reach. This upsets us.

He cannot imitate, play, or share his interests with other children. He ignores children around him.

He cannot play appropriately with toys and is afraid of slides and swings. He is unable to ask for food, water, or even a nappy change. He does not know what to ask when he feels hungry, thirsty, or hot and cold.

He cannot brush his teeth or use the toilet on his own.

I never thought I would face such a horrible situation in my life. As a family, we are going through the most crucial phase of our lives. As he grows, this condition is becoming worse and is worrying us. We live in fear, wondering how my son will survive when we are not around—who will feed him or hug him when he cries?

He was just a few months old during the pandemic, which worsened his situation. Children are the future of this country, and children like mine are vulnerable. They have their whole lives ahead of them.

He is so young, and early intervention is essential to improving his quality of life and helping him live independently.

There is no straightforward treatment available for Tript. After extensive research and seeking advice from various medical experts, I am convinced that only therapies can help my child reach his full potential. These therapies do not involve drugs or invasive/non-invasive procedures.

These therapies involve breaking down simple tasks into smaller tasks and practicing them several times throughout the day and week.

Right now, he requires Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Play Therapy, Sensory Integration Therapies, and other advanced therapies. He also needs special clinical tests, which are not available through the NHS. These tests could help identify the causes of his condition. There are many success stories where children have improved with the help of these special tests.

He is also on a special diet and supplements, free from gluten, sugar, starch, grains, and dairy. He can only eat non-GMO (genetically modified) organic vegetables, fruits, meat, and eggs that are grown in an organic environment.

Unfortunately, there is very little government-funded support available for the therapies, tests, and dietary needs that my son requires. Therefore, we have to pay out of our own pockets, which is beyond our capabilities.

Funding Needs:

These therapies include full initial assessments, which cost between £500 and £700, plus £300 to £400 for target adjustments after three months, and £80-£90 per hour for sessions, plus travel costs of £40 to £80.

He requires 30-35 hours of therapy per week in order to reach the level of a typical child. We are also learning and developing our understanding to provide the education, care, and support our son needs.

This is not possible without your help and support. The average cost of the therapies he requires is £6,600 per month, which is beyond the reach of an average family.

Our target is £70,000.

We are fully determined to provide our son with the opportunity to develop and start enjoying the simplest things around him, like other children.

Any donations, small or large, will be appreciated.

Tree of Hope is an amazing charity that is helping us get your kind support. We not only need your financial support but also your wishes and prayers for our lovely son. I wish every child a healthy and happy life.

Many thanks for taking the time to visit my page and for your support.

May God bless us with the happiness we all deserve... Amen.

7.5% of all donations to Tree of Hope in relation to this appeal will be allocated to the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope to cover our core operating costs.

If we raise insufficient funds, or surplus funds, then the funds will be used, if appropriate, to fund support for our child’s needs in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects. If in those circumstances we are unable to use all or part of the funds for the benefit of our child in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objectives, then any funds that cannot be used will be transferred to be used for the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope.