Mykhaylo “Mikhail” Yatskov

What did it feel like finding out your child has Multiple Sulfates Deficiency (MSD)?

We felt a lot of pain. It was unbearable to receive the news from the doctors that your child will pass away in 5 years. There is no medicine or cure for this disease. Life was divided into time before receiving the diagnosis and after receiving the diagnosis. (Life was divided into before and after.) 

How has MSD affected your children?

Mikail was born a perfectly healthy boy. At 1 year and 1 month, he began walking by himself, but his walking was not confident. He constantly fell, from one side to the other, but the doctors didn’t pay any attention to that at the beginning. At that age, he understood different animal sounds. At 1 year and 6 months, he became interested in the alphabet. He learned almost all of them, and spoke a few words. After 2 years old, he attended preschool. At this time, he frequently became sick with viral infections. Frequently, his temperature would rise to 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) and his ears hurt often. Because of this, we needed to take our child out of preschool. At this time, Misha didn’t learn anything new. The child had stopped developing. He became uninterested in the environment around him. He got tired very quickly. By the age of 3, the child stopped walking, and lost the ability to talk and make sounds. (this part is a bit confusing about the sounds – “the sounds disappeared”) At 3.5, he was unable to sit and use his arms.

How has MSD affected your entire family?

The child requires around-the-clock care. Because of the disease, we need to be isolated from the rest of the world. Only the help and support of our family help us take care of our son. 

What is the hardest part about being an MSD family?

Our son lost the ability to walk, talk, sit, work with his hands and requires constant care. He is dying, and we cannot do anything about it. It is very hard and painful to not be able to do anything to help the most important and precious thing you have in your life. You don’t know what awaits you tomorrow or in the future. 

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about being an MSD parent?

We want to tell parents whose children are affected with MSD, no matter what, you cannot lose faith and hope for a better future.

What is one thing you would tell people about MSD?

MSD is a very serious disease that takes away the lives of our children.

What is one thing you would ask from the world?

Help us find a cure to this scary disease.. 

Why are you asking for donations to the foundation?

Donations will help us move the drug toward clinical trials. The children will have a chance to live.

Latest News?

Now our son is 5 years old. He is paralyzed and has difficulty holding his head up. He doesn’t look at subjects, doesn’t speak, eats baby food, and practically doesn’t gain any weight. We don’t know what he understands and what he doesn’t. He cries often and looks in one direction.