Mark's story

Marek is 9 years old and has autism. When the boy came to the JiM Foundation, he had great difficulty controlling his emotions and was unable to play together with other children. The boy displayed many difficult behaviors, expressed opposition to all teacher's instructions, often reacting to them by crying. He preferred to play alone, as he did not like to share his toys. Very often he engaged in aggressive behavior such as kicking or biting, which further complicated his relationships with other children.
 

 
Like most children with autism, the boy also dislikes change. He feels best when he has his whole day planned out and can consistently perform all activities according to his schedule.

Marek has been under the care of the JiM Foundation for three years. During this time, he has learned to control his emotions, where it was very difficult for him before. The boy has developed his social skills, he functions much better in a group and is able to play with other children, enjoying it.

The three years spent at JiM Kindergarten have meant that the boy has begun to dress himself, clean up after himself with his toys, eat independently at the table and no longer needs help using the toilet.

His greatest success is undoubtedly overcoming a huge fear, which was the fear of rain. Systematic therapy at the JiM Foundation allowed the boy to control this fear and now he is no longer afraid of the rain. Marek has grown fond of being outdoors, regardless of the weather.

Now it's time for Marek's next challenges. Together with his therapist, the boy is working to better cope with the changes. We face many unforeseen situations in our daily lives, and we want Marek to be prepared for them.

They then learn how to shop, use public transportation or send letters at the post office. All this is done so that they can be more independent and cope well with everyday challenges. Mark's success is a perfect example of how much can be achieved with a commitment to systematic therapy!