Autism Awareness Month

April starts april starts autism awareness month.

This past year has proven especially difficult for children with autism and their parents or caretakers.

News 10's porsha williams spoke with a therapist and mother on how they navigated these challenges.

//////// i spoke with a speech language pathologist about what she's seen in her clinic..

As well as a single mother who had to find unique ways of caring for her child with autism over the past year.

[take pkg outcue: they had them duration:1:19] [notes:] stephanie ramos is a speech language pathologist at hopebridge clinic..

She says the past year has been a challenge.

"because we have to wear masks so not only do they have difficulty being able to identify anybody being able to hear the words of people is masking as people is the words of people is masking as well.

There has been a challenge but fortunaetly with the clinic i work with we still work one on one with the kiddos so they're still getting that direct contact that they need."

One single mother who is raising a 4 year old with autism says she knows the struggle all too well.

"at the beginning it was very hard to just not have your kid at school have them at home it threw off his everyday schedule and as you know with autistic children you have to have that schedule so that threw him off."

She had to find different ways to interact with her son with all the changes he was experiencing.

"i do things where i kind've have to show him videos or show him so he can understand.

Sometimes words aren't enough.

So i show him videos of people wearing masks.

I got him fun masks and things that he loves.

Ramos says you just have to find what works for your child.

"it's surprising the parents have the tools they just didn't realize they had them."

Ramos adds there are resources out there to help you.

Contact your local behavioral center for more information.