Kseniya Toechkina-Zavalnaya: Autism and controversial methods

Experience of a mother and specialist

In this interview, an honest, deep, and very important conversation with a mother who has come a long way and today runs one of the most well-known autism blogs, as well as with a specialist trusted by thousands of parents.

We talk about what people are usually afraid to discuss openly:
— neuroleptics and antidepressants,
— medication support for children,
— emotional burnout,
— controversial methods, including Tomatis,
— social pressure,
— the search for one’s “own” path. 

00:00 Main highlights of the interview
00:30 Start. Introduction to Ksenia
01:45 The first signs of autism in Yura
03:00 When did it become clear that something was not right with his development?
05:23 Early intervention and the start of ABA therapy
06:59 ABA and the Denver model: what helped Yura?
08:21 Examinations, tests, and neuroinflammation
09:01 Tomatis, micropolarization, and rehabilitation experience
11:15 Genetics and additional examinations
12:07 Kindergarten: first experience and challenges
13:27 How was a school chosen for a child with autism?
15:10 Inclusion in Latvia: what works today and what does not?
17:10 Setbacks in development, growing up, and changing the familiar environment
19:21 Medications, nootropics, and antidepressants: personal experience
22:42 Genetic factor: parents’ traits and autism in a child
25:41 Neurocorrection and sensory integration
27:06 How do sensory disorders affect a child’s development?
29:46 Why are there more boys among children with ASD?
30:26 Who is neurocorrection and sensory integration suitable for?
31:43 Which children is it harder for a specialist to work with?
33:05 Undesirable behavior and aggression: what should parents do?
34:41 How do you combine the role of mom and specialist?
35:23 Do parents need to work with their child at home themselves?
37:58 Education codes 55–59 in Latvia: what is the difference?
40:51 Medical-pedagogical commission: the family’s personal experience
42:48 Early signs of autism that should not be missed
44:14 Which specialist should you contact at the first suspicions?
45:47 New health problems: fainting, EEG, and MRI
46:37 Autism blog, popularity, and hate
47:59 How can a mother of a special child preserve her resources?
48:44 What could the future of our children be like?
50:45 Ksenia’s original пособия for speech and understanding development
53:09 Ksenia’s work with children and an individual approach
54:17 How special motherhood changed life and profession
56:03 What would Ksenia say to herself at the very beginning of the journey?
57:00 Interview conclusion

This is not an interview about a “magic pill.”
This is a conversation about the real lives of families who live with autism every day.

If you are a parent of a child with ASD, a specialist, or simply looking for honest information about autism, this video may become an important source of support for you.