Elīna Gluzunova Opens Up About Son's Autism and Public Misunderstanding

Beauty specialist, singer, and mother of three Elīna Gluzunova appeared on the podcast "Bez spriedzes" to talk openly about her daily life raising her youngest son, Tomass, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She noted that society often fails to understand children with special needs, with people assuming that a child's emotional outbursts in public places indicate poor parenting. Gluzunova explained that in cases of ASD, such agitation cannot be immediately calmed.

Initially, she did not see that her son was different from other children and tried to integrate him into society. When he was diagnosed with ASD, childhood autism, and specific speech development disorders, she did not view it as a tragedy but as a challenge to overcome. Thanks to intensive work, Tomass now attends a regular kindergarten, is learning to read and write, knows the alphabet and colors in three languages, and is beginning to learn Spanish. His greatest joy is letters, which he draws and builds with Lego bricks, and he mostly plays with natural wooden Montessori toys.

Gluzunova revealed that Latvia's healthcare system is not suited for children with special needs. Waiting lists for state-funded specialists can be one to two years long, during which critical developmental milestones may be missed. After receiving the diagnosis, she immediately sought private services, realizing that free healthcare for children is virtually nonexistent in Latvia. Before funding was available, she had to pay around €1,500 per month for therapy sessions.

She praised the Riga municipality's program that allows parents to become caregivers for their children and receive compensation, which helps cover daily expenses. However, when the family tried to raise donations online, they faced harsh criticism from commenters who accused Gluzunova of dining out while asking for money for her child. She rhetorically asked whether a child with special needs means a parent cannot live their own life, and she stopped the fundraising campaign.

To maintain balance in the family, Gluzunova has implemented a "date system"—individual time spent alone with her daughter or older son to prevent feelings of neglect. Despite the emotional and physical strain, she views her son's diagnosis as a gift that has made her wiser. In conclusion, she called on society to work on themselves and learn empathy, arguing that if people were satisfied with themselves, they would not be disturbed by children with special needs.