Today, 2 April 2026, marks World Autism Awareness Day – the start of Autism Acceptance Month. Across the UK, thousands of families, schools, and communities are coming together to fundraise, share resources, and build a society that truly works for autistic people. At London Mums, we are joining that conversation by shining a light on a book that moved us to our core.
It is not often that a memoir stops you in your tracks. Even less often that it makes you want to pack a suitcase, book a flight and believe in miracles again. But A Change of Karma: Half a Year Alone in India with my Three Children and Autism by Dóra Lohonyai does exactly that.
This is not a clinical guide to autism. It is not a list of therapies or a checklist of coping strategies. It is something far rarer and more precious: a raw, funny, heartbreaking and hopeful account of a mother who refused to accept that her children’s diagnoses were the end of the road – and instead turned towards the unknown, with nothing but faith and a fierce, unstoppable love.
When the world says “incurable”
Dóra Lohonyai is a mother of three. Her first two children, both boys, were diagnosed with autism, Tourette syndrome, intellectual disability, and ADD. Like any parent, she heard the words that no one is ever prepared for: There is no cure. This is how it will be.
But Dóra is not the kind of woman who accepts a closed door without trying every key she can find. After years of navigating the complex systems of doctors, therapists, and special education, she felt weighed down. Not by her children – never by them – but by the limitations of the world around her. She began to wonder: what if the answer wasn’t in another appointment or another medication? What if it was somewhere else entirely?
Somewhere like India.
A promise from a guru, and a leap into the unknown
Through a series of what some might call coincidences (and others, fate), Dóra heard of a renowned guru in South India. He was known for his spiritual guidance, but he had never worked with foreigners – and certainly never with children on the autism spectrum. Yet when Dóra reached out, he made her an extraordinary promise: he would help her seek a change of karma for her children.
To most people, this would sound like madness. To a mother who had exhausted every conventional option, it sounded like hope.
And so, alone, with her three young children in tow, Dóra left behind her comfortable life in Hungary and boarded a plane to India. No nannies. No support network. No guarantees. Just a suitcase, her children, and a belief that love could bend the rules of what is possible.
A year of chaos, colour and transformation
What follows is six months of unforgettable, often hilarious, sometimes terrifying adventure. Dóra writes with such honesty and warmth that you feel you are right there with her – dodging monkeys, bargaining with rickshaw drivers, trying to explain autism to bemused locals, and watching her children slowly, subtly, begin to change.
The book is filled with moments that will make you laugh out loud (the chaos of Indian train travel with three neurodivergent children is something you have to read to believe) and others that will leave you reaching for tissues. There is no sugar-coating here. Dóra shares her doubts, her exhaustion, her moments of near?despair. But she also shares the magic: the first time her son made eye contact a little longer than before, the unexpected kindness of strangers, the way the vibrant, noisy, beautiful chaos of India seemed to wrap itself around her family and hold them tight.
More than a travel memoir
A Change of Karma is not just a story about autism. It is a story about what happens when you refuse to let fear make your decisions. It is about the extraordinary resilience of children who are often underestimated. It is about the power of a mother’s intuition – that quiet, stubborn voice that whispers, keep going, even when everyone else thinks you are crazy.
And it is about faith. Not the religious kind, necessarily, but the deep, unshakable belief that things can get better, even when all evidence points the other way.
Dóra writes: “How can you accept the incurable state of your children as a mother and yet do everything to find a solution?” That tension – between acceptance and action – is at the heart of her journey. She does not pretend to have “fixed” her children. Autism is not something to be fixed. But she did find something remarkable: a shift in perspective, a lightening of the load, and a renewed sense of possibility.
What readers are saying
The book has already received glowing five?star reviews on Amazon. One reader wrote:
“An incredible journey of love and transformation. I couldn’t put the book down. It’s written in such a candid, heartfelt and humorous style. If you want to be transported to another world, get this book! It’s going to transform you in very profound and subtle ways.”
Another said:
“It is a brilliant book! It is more than just a family story or life about India. It’s a personal journey about acceptance and living life lovingly despite all circumstances. The book gives a glimpse into the challenges of life with autistic children, with all the good, bad and in between days… written in a very honest and funny way.”
Why this book matters – especially today
On World Autism Acceptance Day, we often hear about statistics, policies, and the need for inclusion. All of that is vital. But sometimes, what parents need most is not another fact sheet – it is a story. A story that says: You are not alone. Someone else has been where you are. And there is a path forward, even if it looks different from what you expected.
Dóra Lohonyai’s journey will not be right for every family. Not everyone can (or should) move to India for six months. But the heart of her message is universal: when the conventional path feels like a dead end, it is okay to create your own. It is okay to trust your instincts. It is okay to hope for something better, even when experts tell you there is no hope.
The author
Dóra Lohonyai is a mother, autism activist, author, businesswoman, and TEDx speaker. After returning from India, she founded an autism support association in Hungary called Autism Happily Amongst Us(in English). She has written a second book, giving voice not only to herself but also to her children – including their own perspectives on growing up with autism. She continues to campaign, speak, and raise awareness around the world.
Her message is simple but profound: “My goal is to help as many people as possible understand and accept autism, which now affects 1 in every 100 individuals.”
Get your copy
A Change of Karma: Half a Year Alone in India with my Three Children and Autism is available now in Kindle and paperback editions. You can find it on Amazon [insert link here].
For more information about Dóra and her work, visit her website: https://lohonyaidora.hu/en/home/
We know that parenting a child with autism can be isolating, exhausting, and overwhelming. We also know that it can be joyful, surprising, and deeply rewarding. On this World Autism Acceptance Day, we want to say to every mum reading this: You are doing an incredible job. And if you ever feel like the road ahead is too dark, remember Dóra – who packed three children onto a plane to India because she believed a different future was possible.
Sometimes, a change of karma starts with a single step. Or a single page.
Let this book be that page for you.
You can also get this book from Amazon.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
