Written by Dr. Ifat Fajerman
Today we mark the International Children's Day, a day when the media mobilizes to raise awareness regarding the welfare and health of children and to promote the protection of their rights around the world. This day finds me after a year in which many children in the country are experiencing a period that the word "challenging" diminishes the intensity of the events they are still forced to confront: war, mourning, absence of a parent, missile threats, and more. Daily routines are constantly disrupted and do not provide a stable anchor. Institutions are strained in coping with the immediate needs. Difficulties sometimes unite a community, while at other times, they fracture it. The focus shifts inward or to the immediate circle.
What happens to the children who need help but do not receive it? Infants who entered the world with unique challenges, children with special needs—how do they experience this year? How can we help them? As a start, we can assist parents in providing a secure foundation for their children. Help can also involve daily tasks: cooking, shopping, cleaning, and so on. Surrounding this, there are community organizations and groups, although after a year, fatigue and burnout of these mechanisms are apparent. Assistance can also come in the form of emotional and psychological support. We find ourselves in a prolonged state of anxiety, helplessness, overwhelming feelings, and loneliness, which depletes mental and physical strength. Parents are containers that hold their children's needs, but they also need someone to contain them, to acknowledge their distress, pain, and worries. All of these intensify when there is a child with special needs in the family.
At the Mifne Center, which has been operating since 1987, we specialize in treating families with infants with autism. Over four decades, knowledge and experience have been accumulated in the field of anxiety. During this time, we offer support to parents of infants who feel worry or anxiety. If you or someone close to you can benefit from reaching out to us, please do not hesitate to refer them. This could represent a turning point in their life journey.
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