About this fundraiser

We didn’t know much about autism, or any developmental abnormalities for that matter, so up to the age of three we thought there was nothing particularly wrong with our son Asaf. He was not a good sleeper, had lots of eczema, he wasn't saying any words, he would just make sounds, but these were different sounds to what the other children made. So we took him to his pediatrician and was told that our child was developmentally delayed. Obviously, we did not believe him. So the pediatrician said we’d better check him out with a specialist. We did, and got a referral to one in Brampton. The specialist had no doubts Asaf has autism, talking about the ‘triad of impairments’ Asaf has all the classical symptoms in social interaction and communication, and his ability to use language for communication was practically non-existent; this certainly points to autism.

 

The doctor told us bluntly: “Your child has a disability for life. There is no cure, but you will have support in the community”. To say that we were devastated is an understatement. The suddenness of it was shattering. One minute you think you have a normal child with a bright future, and in an instant you are told your child will have no prospect of ever leading a fulfilling and independent life.

 

So a few years passed, we had no clue about the government funding and our son Asaf wasn't saying any words although his peers at play group were all chatting away. Also, he didn't really play with the other children, he would only play with us, mum or dad. It became apparent that he saw toys as just objects, which he would line up in patterns or maybe bang together to see what noise they make or if they would break. His behavior was becoming more challenging as well. We should've acted sooner, should've accessed funding and placed my son in work group therapies but we missed out and the clock was ticking.

 

Later on we realized it was time to take action to give Asaf all the help we could so his mum left her job and became his full-time caregiver and I changed jobs to other odd jobs with a lower pay base but better hours. Asaf then was placed into Erinoakkids for speech and behavior therapy by the age of six and Asaf was not eligible for the one-time payment of twenty thousand dollars from the Ontario Autism Program. So we settled with the six thousand dollars we received and managed with that. The therapy went well for a couple of years until one day Asaf had a sudden behavioral change at the age of 11.

 

We were screamed at and bitten by our son Asaf. We are still trying to come to terms with his sudden behavioral change. Asaf only started showing signs of aggression earlier this year. I really miss the old him so much, his smile, the way he hugs me, kisses me. The old Asaf loves humming. He is very musical, obedient, and very quiet. He’s in his own world and always plays alone.

 

The stark contrast in Asaf’s behavior started showing in April. He threw tantrums and became flight risk. He started running away from home. The moment he can’t get what he wants, he bites and punches. Then one day Asaf does the ultimatum, he attacks his younger eight year old sister Zoya, sending her to the ER in a sick kid’s hospital. Later on my younger daughter recovers but I get fired from work due to taking frequent time off during my probationary period. I received a termination letter stating that I am not suitable for the position. I managed to support my son till now but my employment insurance payments are coming to an end in two weeks. My son needs constant supervision and he’s gotten very strong for my wife to handle while we have another child at home to care for. We are constantly watching over our daughter Zoya from our son Asaf who still assaults her when he gets angry.

 

I don’t want the financial burden to impact my son in any way, especially with his condition and needs. I don’t want him ending up on the streets because we could not pay for the roof over his head when he doesn’t even understand how a society functions. The poor thing has no clue.  If you were to meet my son Asaf, he would make you smile. He is a very loving boy and gives high fives to everyone. He is also a very happy child and loves nature. Please help me support my son in this time of need. Any contribution would be a huge help in getting my son one step closer towards his daily independent learning goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards Ahad Khan

Organized by

Ahad Khan

Mississauga, ON, Canada

Organizer