The year was 2007. In September, Puchik was born. It was his nickname back then and still is now. In the hospital he got his ID number: 217-01234-3. Looking at the middle part of the number, the clerk said: Oh! This is a special child! She didn't know how right she was.

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The birth went uncomplicated. Only a little bit of "help" from our friend "Vacuum pump" was necessary. Apgar of 9... We went home. 

Vaccinations as established... His head grew big. Too big. The nurse thought it could be hydrocephalus, but I didn't see any other symptom to worry about, so I didn't.

At age 1 year old, Puchik didn't react everytime he was called. At age 1.5 or 2 he would run along a fence, watching its bars pass by with the corner of his eye. Strange, but well...

The eye contact with me was pretty good. We didn't have conversations but he could understand simple commands.

The language got stuck. Just 1-2 words sentences. We were sent to the Institute of Child-development. Half a year later they called the parents urgently. I went alone. Doctor's stuff was my responsibility. Hold on: a cube of cold water with the name Autism on it was poured over me. That was the beginning of the journey.

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Surprise, disbelief, shock, anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, desperation. Life was uncertain.

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The first hint came along pretty fast: someone said he had read that Upledger's Craniosacral Therapy could help, and handed me a number to make an appointment. But it took me a week to do this call. I had to read first. Wikipedia explained about the craniosacral system. It was interesting. This topic was left outside the material taught in Medicine. Another page in Wikipedia said that Craniosacral Therapy is quack. I'm so glad I didn't read it at the time: This is the most critical early intervention in the treatment of Autism. Don't believe everything you read in Wikipedia.
 

The first appointment was strange. The doctor was strange, like a library mouse, few words, very introverted. He said a few sentences: He can feel with his hands, that there's a problem in the structure of the head, which limits the movement of the craniosacral system. This is the reason for his developmental issues. It was caused during birth. The occiput bone was pulled out by the vacuum, and its dislocated parts didn't come back into place.
Once we help the bones go back to their position, the movement of the skull will be healthy again, and the child will be ready to learn what they couldn't learn until now.

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1 treatment a week for longer than one year. The progress was remarkable. The doctor continued being strange. One day he started wearing a Kippa. But his treatment was working, so I just accepted his help without judgement.

After only 4 treatments Puchik's drooling disappeared like magic. He also started engaging in little first conversations... Could it be coincidence? Nop. He was improving. We completed the treatment when Puchik was 4 years old, and he was still very ADHD, and autistic... The doctor said: "Now his craniosacral system is working properly. Now his brain can develop. You have to teach him everything, as if he was just born".

But how? He didn't say.

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One year later I discovered Mendability...

Googling, my favorite activity at the time, I found the following lecture: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D40kpklZ9ic&t=388s

 

Then I discovered that Science had change its mind in the last few years: Now they say that the Brain does regenerate. Great news!

I opened an account in their site (www.Mendability.com) and started. That was incredible. Puchik started opening up, settling down, saying things that would leave up jaw-dropped.
 

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