FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Council of the City of Fort St. John proclaimed April to be Autism Awareness Month.
With a modified presentation due to COVID-19 and reducing the number of people in Council Chambers, presenters were asked not to attend the Monday, March 23rd, 2020, Regular Council meeting, and their requests were read out by Council members on the organization’s behalf.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder characterized by impaired social interactions, difficulties with verbal and non-verbal
communication and restricted or repetitive behaviours.
The presentation asked if the pavilion in Centennial Park would be lit blue on April 2nd, 2020, for International Awareness Day.
The presentation also supplied facts about local businesses such as Safeway that offer a Sensory Free Shopping Night on Mondays from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Providing an environment of shopping that has dimmed lights, no music in the store, and shelf stocking do not happen during this time.
Susan Cross, the Family Services Coordinator and Supervisor for the Kids Connect Autism Program at the Child Development Centre, Alanna Duffy, an Educator with School District 60 and Coral Pimm, were to be at the presentation speaking further about their personal experiences.
The Child Development Centre shared through the presentation they are available to businesses to help facilitate training to understand and best practices when working with children and youth with Autism.
Resources shared to learn more about Autism included ;
www.autismbc.ca
[email protected]
www.actcommunity.ca
www.m-chat.org
www.autismspeaks.ca
If you have concerns about a child’s development and are unsure of what you may be seeing, you can call your family physician or your local Child Development Centre and ask questions at any time.
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