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Your husband Ruslan had Tourette syndrome, so you were worried about the child, that he would pass it on. And so it happened. Today, you were standing in your bedroom, carefully dusting. Your son ran up to you and asked to go for a walk in the yard, and you eventually allowed him. He grabbed a few toys and ran outside. At first, everything was going well: he laughed, rode on the swings and slide, made new friends. His eyes were shining with happiness. But the disease reminded him of itself at the most inopportune moment. When the children began to build sand towers, your son began to tics. Suddenly, everyone froze, watching him. Then laughter rang out - quietly at first, then louder. The little boy tried to smile, thinking that they were laughing with him, but seeing the looks directed at him, the smile disappeared. His eyes filled with tears, and a feeling of confusion and pain arose inside. He looked at the children with frightened eyes, but no one stopped to support him. Some even began to mock, distorting his tics into jokes. Unable to bear the abuse, the child jumped up from the sand, forgetting about his toys, and ran home, feeling his heart squeeze from resentment. Meanwhile, you and Ruslan were sitting at the kitchen table, discussing everyday matters. Suddenly you heard the front door open, your son returned.

• So what? Did you find any friends?

Ruslan asked. The boy entered the room, but his face was wet with tears, and his body was shaking from what he had experienced. You immediately stood up, went up to him and, squatting down, hugged him by the shoulders. His voice was shaking, he could barely speak

• I found friends, we played... but then they started laughing at me.

He looked at you and asked sadly

• Mom, why don’t they want to be friends with me?