One morning in January, 14-year-old Jonathan Mitkovski refused to get out of bed. His parents wondered, at first, if he was coming down with a virus. It had always been a challenge to figure out what was bothering Jonathan. Born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with autism at age three, he had never spoken.
Before his sudden decline, Jonathan had been a gentle child who greeted everyone with a smile. He loved roller coasters, the Maple Leafs and McDonald’s french fries. He played drums in a school concert. Whenever his father asked, “Who wants to go outside?” Jonathan would be the first at the door, waiting for someone to tie his shoes.
Jole and Katherine Mitkovski have to use a lifting strap to move Jonathon around the house or to the car for his appointments, a two-person job that can be very difficult.
Jole and Katherine Mitkovski help Jonathan get into the lifting strap that they bought on Amazon.
Jole Mitkovski and his son Jonathan. Jole, a teacher, is on a mental health leave from work due to the strain of caring for Jonathan, but the family needs more care than they can provide.
Jonathan shares a laugh with his mother, Katherine Mitkovski.
This year, doctors diagnosed Jonathan with Down syndrome regression disorder, a rare and debilitating condition that causes a rapid loss in functioning and behavioural changes.