One small town on Canadaâs east coast is leading the way in accommodating people with autism, one sensory calming room at a time.
Channel-Port aux Basques, a Newfoundland town of fewer than 5,000 residents, is home to a community group called . Co-founders Joan Chaisson and April Billard launched the group after Chaisson, a retired special-ed teacher, started coaching Billardâs son who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
âI fell in love with the child and the world of autism,â Chaisson told CTVâs Your Morning on Wednesday. âItâs so nice to try and figure out what makes them successful.â
Each child is different, she says, to the point where the work is like a âpuzzle.â And with AIM, Chaisson and Billard have launched simple, low-cost methods for communities to help make solving the puzzle easier. They provide parents with a library of resources, they offer training for local businesses, and they even helped turn a local hotel into an autism-friendly environment complete with a sensory calming room, quiet rooms for eating and specialized bedrooms.
The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that one in 57 kids between the ages of five and 17 have autism in Newfoundland and Labrador. The rate isnât much lower across the country -- about one in 66 -- but Chaissonâs town has faced particular challenges. Of the 300 children in elementary school there, 14 have been diagnosed with autism.
Chaisson and Billardâs efforts have drawn national attention. On World Autism Day in April, Todayâs Parent magazine named Channel-Port aux Basques â.â The title has caught on, and Chaisson hopes AIMâs initiatives spread across the country.
âItâs something that doesnât cost a lot of money. You have to go out and meet with the people face to face,â she said. âItâs very easy to bring it across the country.â