Across the United States, the number of kids diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is rising, from 1 in 80 kids in 2010 to 1 in 45 kids in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response, parents and librarians are working together through programming and awareness to help make the library a space where children on the autism spectrum are welcome.
In particular, there has been a rise of "sensory storytimes" at various libraries across the country. Storytimes specifically tailored to the sensory, audio, and visual needs of children with autism. “Autism is a brain disorder. Their brains work differently. There are lots of reasons for this, but one main reason is that kids on the spectrum process information in a different part of the brain than a typical child does. So the information needs to be presented differently in order for kids to be engaged."
Read the rest of this inspiring article HERE, to discover how children with autism experience storytimes differently and how you can create a successful storytime experience for them.
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