Veljko Stojković is a boy who, since the age of three months, has been battling an unknown, extremely rare disease that has severely impaired his development. His parents, in search of a diagnosis and therapy, arrived in Rochester, Minnesota, the day before his second birthday to seek help at the renowned Mayo Clinic.
Despite months of exhaustive analyses, a final diagnosis has not yet been made. Doctors have confirmed a severe development within the autism spectrum, but the true cause of his regressive condition remains a mystery. Because of this, the family moved to the Chicago area so that Veljko could receive continuous medical care and comprehensive therapies at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
The disease manifested in Veljko through a series of serious symptoms: delays in psychomotor development, difficulties with speech, swallowing, and walking, as well as involuntary body movements. He received food through a nasogastric tube, and later directly through a G-tube. MRI scans showed a reduced amount of white matter and enlarged brain ventricles, while numerous examinations have not yet revealed the cause of bleeding in the digestive system.
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After all available diagnostic methods in the USA and the world have been exhausted, the family is now awaiting the results of a genetic reanalysis from the Mayo Clinic, expected in July. Doctors have confirmed that the scientific work has moved from theory to the laboratory phase, which raises hope that the cause of Veljko’s illness will soon be known. In the meantime, the focus has shifted to therapies, a specific diet at the level of a professional athlete, and a special 1-on-1 educational program, with daily work by multiple therapists and constant nurse supervision.
The parents themselves take on all other obligations outside of school, from medications, preparing keto meals and feeding, to physical exercises and using communication devices. Although he is developing physically in line with his age, Veljko is still at the developmental level he was at before the regression. The hardest part for them is that he still does not understand the dangers around him, so every day is an exhausting battle.
Anyone who wishes to help Veljko continue treatment in the USA can donate HERE. The goal is for him to finally walk, start communicating, and catch up with his peers, as his older brother is already doing. Every support for this boy and his family is a step closer to that goal.
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Source: Serbian Times, Photo: GoFundMe