swiss medicaXXI century S.A.In August 2022, we welcomed Peleg and his parents to Swiss Medica in Belgrade. They had travelled from Israel, and Peleg was almost four years old.
His mother, Orly, later shared their story with Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood. Here, you can read about their experience, hear directly from Orly, and watch the family’s videos from before and after his first treatment.
About the Publication
June 2023 · Interview with Peleg’s mother
Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation is a US nonprofit organization whose educational website began in 1998. It helps families understand cord blood banking, stem cells from umbilical cord tissue and placenta, and developments in cell therapy research. Its educational work is supported by a scientific and medical advisory panel.
The foundation’s website published Peleg’s story following an interview with his mother, Orly.
Before Treatment: Communication, Sleep, and Everyday Challenges
Peleg was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. As Orly explains in her video interview, he used only a few words before their first visit to Swiss Medica. It was difficult for him to tell his parents what he needed or explain when something hurt.
Joining in family life was challenging, too. Orly recalls that he rarely played with his siblings and often did not respond when she called his name. Nights were particularly difficult: he slept for around three hours, leaving the family with little rest.
His parents had tried speech therapy, hydrotherapy, and melatonin to help with sleep. Despite their efforts, communication, play, and sleep remained daily struggles.
This recording is also included in the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood publication.
Why the Family Chose Swiss Medica
While looking into cell therapy, Orly spoke with other parents who had already tried it for their children. Hearing from Israeli families who had visited Swiss Medica helped her and her husband decide to come to us.
The journey mattered as well. A relatively short flight from Israel made travelling to Belgrade more manageable for Peleg and his parents.
In August 2022, the family arrived for his first treatment program.
Peleg’s Treatment Program at Swiss Medica
During that first visit, Peleg received donor-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from umbilical cord tissue and placenta. These were administered through intravenous infusions and intramuscular injections. His program also included intranasal exosomes derived from placental MSCs.
This was Peleg’s individual program in August 2022. The programs we recommend today depend on each patient’s medical assessment and may differ from the treatment he received.
Changes His Family Reported After Treatment
When Orly talks about the weeks and months that followed, she describes changes in everyday moments: Peleg asking for food, joining a game, sleeping longer, and seeking a hug.
Speech and Communication
For Orly, hearing Peleg express what he wanted was a meaningful change. She recalls him saying phrases such as “I’m hungry” and “I don’t want to.”
She also describes him becoming more willing to talk to the family and share things with them, giving his parents more opportunities to understand his needs
Sleep and Daily Life
Orly says that Peleg began sleeping for eight to ten hours a night after treatment, compared with around three hours before their visit.
She also noticed changes in how he understood everyday requests. When she asked him to wait a minute, for example, he was better able to understand and wait.
Play and Family Interaction
Orly recalls Peleg becoming more interested in games and playing with his sister. She also describes him seeking hugs and kisses and enjoying more affectionate moments with his family.
This recording is also included in the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood publication.
A Timeline of Family-Reported Changes
Some changes were noticed during the family’s stay in Belgrade; others were described months later.
| Area | Before treatment | Change reported by the family | Reported timing |
| Sleep | Around three hours of sleep per night. | Orly reported that Peleg slept through the night. | The night after his first infusion. |
| Speech | Limited vocabulary and short, two-word combinations. | His mother recalled his first three-word sentence: “Mommy, I’m hungry.” | Two days after his first infusion. |
| Longer sentences | Difficulty expressing his needs verbally. | The family reported six-word sentences in Hebrew and English. | Within the first week. |
| Play | Difficulty joining games and engaging in pretend play. | Orly described him playing hide-and-seek with his sister and pretending to feed a stuffed bear. | During the treatment week and the days following cell therapy. |
| Repetitive behaviors | Fixed routines and repetitive movements. | His mother reported that these behaviors occurred rarely. | Approximately six months after treatment. |
The timing reflects the family’s observations rather than scheduled clinical assessments.
A Later Update: Orly Reflects on Five Treatment Visits
Peleg’s story continued after the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood publication. In this later interview, Orly returns to Swiss Medica and reflects on five treatment visits.
With Peleg now six years old, she describes him expressing his wishes and feelings more clearly, inventing games, playing with his sister, and making friends at school. She also talks about the challenges that remain and her hopes for his learning and independence.
Understanding This Individual Experience
For Peleg’s family, the changes Orly describes made a difference to daily life. Her account and the family’s recordings offer a personal view of that experience.
Cell therapy for autism remains an investigational approach. We share this story as one family’s experience, to be read alongside the broader clinical evidence.
Read the original publication on Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation
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Medical Advisor, Swiss Medica doctor