CRESTVIEW — Spectrum House closed its parking area on Saturday to allow families to participate in several activities from jumping in a bounce house to tossing rings on a small inflatable pirate ship.
The goal was to raise awareness for its developmental program, which provides services for autistic children and people with neurological disabilities, whether severe, moderate or high functioning, said Crystal Burton, the center’s lead therapist.
"Our goal here is to make these children as indistinguishable from any child, whether you walk into a classroom or Walmart," therapist Mary Seidenfaden said. The center teaches kids how to interact with others and prevent outbursts at home or in the classroom.
Baker resident Andrea Franklin has been bringing her daughter Jessica Sollie, 16, to the center for about a year, and said, "She expresses more verbally than acting out or misbehaving.”
Crestview resident Elizabeth Smith, who brings her 5-year-old son, A.J., to the center, said her son has become more sociable with kids his age.
Find it online:
spectrumhouse.org
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Spectrum House raises awareness with public event