There are specific therapies that will help your child through things big developmental step

The goal is to eventually get the child to put the food in their mouths.

Feeding therapy provides benefits to children who may be struggling with a pediatric feeding disorder.

The film screening is free and open to the public.

Dawn Sterling, a certified behavior analyst and applied behavior analysis manager at Metro EHS Pediatric Therapy offered insight as to why parents need to be involved with ABA.

A teacher who helps preside over a program for students with autism, Carrie Jones knows full well some aspects the general public might not understand.

Downriver nonprofit MiMi’s Mission travels across Metro Detroit to help police and fire departments better respond to emergencies involving someone with autism.

Students who participated in the annual Winterfest broomball fundraiser surpassed their goal of raising $200,000 for charity.

Legoland Florida Resort is officially designated as a certified autism center, making it the first theme park resort to receive this certification.

April is Autism Awareness Month, which makes it a great time to learn about resources that can help children with special needs and their families.

Considering this month is an important time to learn more about autism, we thought we’d ask you, our readers and viewers: If any of you have a close connection to autism spectrum disorder (perhaps you’ve been diagnosed, or you have a friend or child with autism), is there anything you wish more people understood?

5 things to know about neurodiversity and why it's becoming a hot topic.

Considering this month is an important time to learn more about autism, we thought we’d ask you, our readers and viewers: If any of you have a close connection to autism spectrum disorder (perhaps you’ve been diagnosed, or you have a friend or child with autism), is there anything you wish more people understood?

April marks Autism Awareness Month, which is a great opportunity to learn more about autism and the people affected by it.

Just in time for Autism Awareness Month, a Downriver organization is rolling out a revolutionary program to help children and adults with autism and other special needs.

One way to cope with any extra stress or anxiety is to have the kids engage in play time to help develop motor skills, social skills and language development, according to Dr. Jen Harstein, a children’s developmental psychologist who works with autistic children daily.

Autism can be explained medically as a bio-neurological development disability, but to get into the nuanced details is quite a bit more complicated.

A young boy’s parents are grateful to a police officer who showed up at their home after an unusual 911 call from their 12-year-old son with autism.

The creators of the show, “Farm! A Musical Experience,” designed the play specifically for children with autism, and for other kids who are neurodiverse.

The all-new Peppa Pig Theme Park will open as a certified autism center, leaders announced Tuesday at the IAAPA Expo at the Orange County Convention Center.

What originally started as a project to raise awareness about autism has blossomed into something that’s making a real difference in Downriver communities and beyond.

For much of his life, Timothy Rohrer, a now-young adult who was diagnosed with autism as a second-grader, has dealt with exclusion from his peers.

For Anthony and Sammy Taormina, there are two dates that define their lives as people with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder.

Track and field and swimming are among the team sports that might be best for children with autism.

April is Autism Awareness Month and one of the groups educating themselves on the subject is law enforcement.

Finding love can be hard for anyone.

April has widely been known as Autism Awareness Month in the U.S., as a way to empower people living with autism and their families.

These instruments provide good and simple ways for children with autism or other sensory disorders to develop motor skills and have fun.

There’s a new friend in the neighborhood!“ Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” that is.

Autism may bring challenges for those who live with it, but celebrities with autism have shown they can overcome those challenges to achieve tremendous things and fulfill their dreams.

Disney offers a special card for those who have trouble waiting in long lines because of a disability.

For fans of Julia, the 4-year-old Muppet with autism on “Sesame Street,” you are in luck.

After dealing with exclusion by his peers over the years, Timothy Rohrer, a now-young adult who was diagnosed with autism as a second-grader, penned and published a pamphlet in which he basically guides people on how to treat those with disabilities.

Nationally and internationally, April is a big month for autism awareness.

Jaxon Maples is a 4-year-old boy with autism, and many days, he has trouble communicating and speaking clearly. But there is one place where those things aren’t a problem for him.

For some, that conversation is even trickier as their children are living with autism. Some parents have banded together to help keep their children safe. Camille Proctor learned that her son Ari had autism in 2008 and immediately sought out support groups to help guide her. If he sees a police officer, he may imitate a TV show he saw with the police officer, Danielle said. For more information on The Color of Autism or to donate, visit the official website here.

MELVINDALE, Mich. – Fredi the PizzaMan is open for lunch every day down in Melvindale right at the corner of Allen Road and Clarence Street. He started a non-profit called Fredi the PizzaMan Foundation. What’s a sensory room? Dobrovic wrote a letter to Fredi the PizzaMan Foundation asking for a sensory room for her son and Tiffany’s school and they were selected. Bello’s goal is to equip every school in Michigan with a sensory room.

DETROIT – Every year the Set Sail for Autism event put on by Detroit's Bayview Yacht Club in partnership with the Judson Autism Connection Center gives people with autism an opportunity to join crews and learn the art of sailing. "A lot of people on the autism spectrum don't get a chance to get out and try stuff like this, so they have no pathway to it," said sailor Michael Sanchirico, with the Bayview Yacht Club. "It is a great unwinding activity. It is just you, the water and the wind." Watch the video above to hear from families who participated in the event.

I struggled to fit in with my neurotypical peers at school, my job, on social media, and even at a teen youth group. Posted by Tim Rohrer - Tips4Inclusion on Saturday, April 13, 2019Rohrer’s mother, Amy, said her son has gotten a remarkable response. This guide will help you get a better understanding of people with disabilities and what they really need in their lives. The signs of a disability as listed above are involuntary and it does not make up who they really are. Invite them to parties such as birthday parties, pool parties, BBQ parties, graduation parties, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and Sweet 16’s.

As April draws closer to its close, perhaps it's the right time to stop and reflect on all the autism outreach and autism awareness campaigns that the month has brought. For example, by now, some people are aware that a good handful of iconic buildings "go blue" in honor of World Autism Awareness Day. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Autism SpeaksAnd check out this international soccer match, held in Mexico on April 7. Hector Vivas/Getty ImagesFinally, did you know people in the baseball community are working toward creating a universally accessible Dodgers Dreamfield at Jack Bulik Park? Photo by Rachel Luna/Getty ImagesDid you catch any local events that took place in your community?

For fans of Julia, the 4-year-old Muppet with autism on “Sesame Street,” you are in luck. Autism Speaks, a national advocacy organization that sponsors research and conducts awareness activities, has launched a new campaign in conjunction with "Sesame Street" that features Julia and aims to promote early autism screening. The campaign consists of digital, print and resources available in English at ScreenForAutism.org and in Spanish at DeteccionDeAutismo.org. The content highlights the importance of early screening. “There is considerable work to be done in overcoming obstacles that may delay a diagnosis -- the first step toward improved future outcomes,” said Angela Geiger, CEO of Autism Speaks.

Parents of children with autism likely have a lot of questions before, during and after a diagnosis. Frazier took time out of his busy travel schedule during Autism Awareness Month to answer some questions on autism and provide tips for parents. Family and caregiver quality of life are key to successful development for all children, but especially children with autism." Frazier: "In general, parents of children with autism know their child and learn what they can and cannot do. Parents of children with autism who understand how to prompt and reinforce appropriate functional behavior are the most effective parents.

Global Autism Awareness Day: Talking with Centria AutismPublished: April 2, 2019, 11:45 amToday is Global Autism Awareness Day. Rick Loewenstein, Will DeYonker and Susan Blaskay Carver are here from Centria Autism to talk about this important day. Today is Global Autism Awareness Day. Rick Loewenstein, Will DeYonker and Susan Blaskay Carver are here from Centria Autism to talk about this important day. Posted by WDIV Local 4 / ClickOnDetroit on Tuesday, April 2, 2019Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit.

No two people with Autism are the same, just as no two people are the same. How, then, can you tell which of the children above, or anyone for that matter, has Autism? As a parent and a doctor, I take my doctor’s hat off when I visit with my children’s physician, and ask a lot of questions. Ask them for input on symptoms and for resources to help your child thrive. Their Autism Response Team will help you navigate the system from screening and diagnosis to education and job placement.

Celebrities who haven't let autism prevent them from achieving all that they have.

Whether it’s to provide relaxation or to develop coordination or motor skills, playing music instruments is a great activity for kids who have autism. UkuleleStrumming strings on this instrument helps develop motor control, and it has four strings compared to a full-size guitar with six strings. Xylophone/glockenspielAnother small and inexpensive instrument (ranging from $50 to $100), this helps kids with autism develop impulse control and hand-eye coordination. BongosSimply hitting bongos can be a good way to enjoy sound and work off some energy. But if there's a desire to get more in-depth, learning to play them along to music develops hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

For parents of children with autism, some might be understandably hesitant to put them in sports or other leisure activities. While team sports that rely a lot on communication and cooperation might be tougher for some children with autism, there are sports and activities that are great for universal participation, according to an article on verywellhealth.com. Those activities are better suited for kids with autism. Bowling: This is a sport that doesn’t require much communication with other team members to succeed, because it’s so individualized. Individual sports/activitiesHere are some notable non-team sports and activities that can be good for children with autism or other sensory disorders.

SANDUSKY, Ohio – In partnership with the Autism Society of America, Autism Awareness Week at Cedar Point is this week, and there are new features at the roller coaster park that are safe and friendly toward guests with autism. A new sensory room was added in the park earlier this year, and it is a great place for guests with autism to go during Autism Awareness Week. The room provides a quiet area for families and sensory tools to interact with. Along with the sensory room, other quiet spaces are available. Cedar Point has also provided a list of locations that use strobe lighting and other lighting effects.