Cord Blood and Autism: The Story of a Boy Who Surprised Doctors

What Can Stem Cells Change in Autism Spectrum Disorders

When parents first hear the diagnosis “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD), the world seems to split into “before” and “after.”

Searching for doctors, endless rehabilitation programs, fear for the child’s future, a constant feeling of uncertainty and even guilt – thousands of families go through this. The worst part is that sometimes the diagnosis destroys the parents’ lives as well -many of them isolate themselves in their problems, try to leave the house less often, and stop dreaming about the future.

This was exactly the story of Maksym’s family. But today, many years after the use of cord blood, the family’s life looks completely different.

Important: cell therapy is not a “treatment for autism.” It is considered part of a comprehensive recovery program and may influence certain neurological and cognitive disorders associated with ASD.

How It All Started

Olha, the mother of Maksym, a boy with autism, became pregnant after IVF with careful embryo selection and therefore was confident that the children would be born healthy. During her twin pregnancy, Maksym’s mother decided to store the children’s cord blood only after the recommendation of her doctor because she trusted his opinion. At that time, it seemed like a decision “for the future,” without a clear understanding of whether this biomaterial would ever be needed in life.

The delivery was difficult, but both children were born healthy. A royal twin pair – a girl and a boy. Dr. Viktor Hrytsko from the private maternity hospital Isida in Kyiv, who performed the cesarean section, approached the cord blood collection very responsibly, so the volume of collected blood was very good for twins.

The first alarming symptoms in Maksym appeared immediately after birth: sleep problems and constant anxiety, the child cried a lot. Later, feeding difficulties, absence of speech and eye contact with others, and a weak response to spoken language were added. It was easy for Olha to understand that there were developmental problems with her son, because next to him his sister was growing and developing at a completely different pace.

Closer to the age of two, doctors suspected autism spectrum disorder as well as accompanying neurological disorders. Maksym constantly lived in his own world, with vocalizations and stimming, lack of contact, and tantrums – psychiatrists increasingly hinted to the mother that the situation looked hopeless.

The boy underwent various rehabilitation programs together with medication treatment, was monitored by a child psychiatrist, and worked with a speech therapist and psychologist.

But the results were minimal and unstable.

Why the Family Turned Their Attention to Cell Therapy

While searching for new approaches, the boy’s mother received information about studies of cord blood use in ASD in the United States and Ukraine. Olha contacted Hemafund, where the cord blood had been stored, asking for help in carrying out cell therapy. After consultations with several doctors and clinics, the family decided to undergo cell therapy in Kyiv with the participation of Hemafund specialists and QR Clinic.

Just one month after the request, cell therapy using the boy’s own stored deposit was performed. At that time, Maksym had just turned 6 years old.

The First Changes After Cord Blood Administration

According to his mother, the first changes appeared very quickly. A few weeks after the cord blood administration, Olha noticed that her son was carefully watching her lessons with his sister (Maksym’s sister was preparing to enter first grade) and was trying to interact during these activities. Maksym began to focus his gaze and make eye contact.

And then the long-awaited word “mom” appeared.

Positive changes soon became routine – development of self-care skills, personality changes, socialization, preparation for school together with his sister. Just a year later, Maksym entered a private school together with his sister.

Exactly one year after the first cord blood administration, the therapy was repeated using the stored deposit of his biological sister as part of a comprehensive recovery program.

How Maksym Lives Today, 8 Years Later

Did Maksym completely get rid of autism thanks to stem cells? Of course not. After communicating with him as a teenager, one can notice his unconventional way of thinking. But stem cells gave not only Maksym, but also his family, a completely different quality of life.

Today Maksym studies at home under a homeschooling program but leads a very active social life. He has many friends and communicates especially easily with girls. He easily connects with people, loves animals very much, and spends a lot of time with pets.

His parents recall that they once avoided crowded places because of their son’s difficult behavior. Today the whole family enjoys traveling, visiting cafés, and going to visit friends.

The boy regularly exercises, attends sports and activity clubs, and has a strong need for movement and activity. His special abilities became evident in drawing, mathematics, computer graphics, and digital creative fields. However, some difficulties with writing and speech have partially remained.

“After the cord blood therapy, my son’s development progressed at an incredible pace,” says Olha. “We observed this for five years. Unfortunately, after anesthesia during dental treatment, there was some regression in behavior. We had to switch to homeschooling and regain what had been lost. That is why we eventually continued studying at home. But still, you cannot imagine how grateful I am. To go from a feeling of hopelessness, from my depressive state caused by the inability to help my own child, to the life of a normal family after just one procedure. For me, it is still a miracle.”

Important

Every child with ASD has their own unique developmental path, therefore the results of cell therapy may differ significantly. Today, cord blood and mesenchymal stromal cells are being actively studied in neurology and regenerative medicine; however, cell therapy remains part of a comprehensive approach that may include rehabilitation, work with psychologists and speech therapists, physical activity, and family support. It is precisely the combination of modern technologies, systematic work, and time that sometimes makes it possible to achieve changes that seemed impossible just a few years ago.

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