fabricflowers

Amy Smith, the author of this story, is the mother of 5-year-old Brendan Smith who has autism. Her son attends kindergarten at Collins Lane Elementary.April is Autism Awareness Month and its focus is on educating people about how autism affects the nearly 1 million Americans who live with it daily.There is an old saying amongthe autism community: “If you have met one person with autism, then you have met one person with autism.”

The reason families understand this quote so well is that every child is different in how their autistic characteristics manifest. There are varied degrees of severity, symptoms and at what age the child is diagnosed. Many families can see there is a difference in their child, but families must rely on the help of professionals to achieve a formal diagnosis. Some children with ASD are non-verbal or rely on assistive technology devices to speak for them while some children on the spectrum speak far beyond their years at an early age. Despite where a child is on the spectrum, they are capable of learning concepts and living a functional and successful life.

Many children that are diagnosed on the spectrum also suffer from sensory overload. It is typical for a child to go into a grocery store and take in the bright florescent lights, the rainbow of colors that fill the produce section, the smells of baked goods and fresh flowers lingering in the air, the conversations going on around them and the clang of carts in one solitary moment.Can you imagine having to take all of that in and then feel unaware of how you fit into the scenario?

Many times, I have been that parent. I have seen my child become very upset at the thought of the grocery store. The lights hurt his eyes, the sounds hurt his ears and the smells make him uncomfortable. Still, in the midst of a meltdown, I have to be the one to help my child cope, protect him from criticisms of other shoppers and still get the groceries we need.