Awareness and acceptance: Durham family with child on autism spectrum find both at Museum of Life and Science

Museum of Life and Science builds program to serve families, kids on autism spectrum

Ahead of Friday's event, I checked in with Kim Perry Cummings, a frequent visitor at the museum with her two boys, ages 8 and 5. Her younger son Perry is neurotypical. But Sam, her older child, is on the autism spectrum. As an infant and toddler, she tells me, his development was uneven and behind in some areas. He was diagnosed as a preschooler.

"Nothing really was ever 'typical' about Sam from the start; that said, he’s always been extraordinary," says Cummings, who works as a curriculum writer and educational consultant for secondary literacy. "He’s a funny, bright, active kiddo who loves math, Super Mario characters, and any board or card game."

And he, along with the rest of the family, spend a lot of time at the Durham museum where they're members. In this Q&A, I chat with Cummings about the museum's offerings for families with children on the autism spectrum or other special needs, why they're so important for awareness and acceptance and how families can prepare for Friday's event.

The museum is a great space, but like any space, it can present challenges for individuals on the autism spectrum. Our son, Sam, is typically a sensory seeker, so the noise levels at the museum usually do not often bother him. However, he can have difficulty when there are a lot of people at the museum taking turns and transitioning from one activity to the next.

For example, he loves things that spin or roll down ramps. There are a few exhibits that have balls that roll down ramps, and it can be tricky for him to stop playing with this and turn his attention to something else. He’s also hesitant to go in the butterfly house because the butterflies move in unexpected ways (e.g., he’s afraid one might fly close to him or land on him) and can feel frustrated when people in the treehouses go up and down the bridges from all directions. Everyone on the spectrum experiences things differently, so what is hard for Sam may not be true for others.

The museum had worked in partnership with the TEACCH Autism Program at UNC-Chapel Hill and a committee of folks connected to autism (either family members or folks on the spectrum themselves) to implement a variety of initiatives to help people on the spectrum and their families navigate the museum. For example, they had noise canceling headphones and ran quiet trains during the day. They had activity systems for different exhibits to provide individuals on the spectrum clear visual guidance on how they might engage with the different things in that part of the museum. They had volunteers from TEACCH and staff members present to assist with any questions or help as needed. In addition, they also had signs throughout the museum that shared information about autism for any visitors to read.

As you can imagine, having access to all of these resources is such a huge win for families and individuals to help make their experiences smooth and enjoyable. But even more so, just knowing that an entire staff of people are 100 percent committed to learning more about how to better support individuals on the spectrum so that that they - and their families - can experience and enjoy the museum made our entire family feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Our goal is not just awareness; it is acceptance and inclusion. And the way we get there is by building a broader, more understanding community.

Our family went to the museum this weekend, and I noticed that there were a lot of folks when we got there. I didn’t prepare or bring Sam’s noise cancelling headphones with us, but I knew I could just ask for a set at the front desk. I did. It may seem small, and to be honest, he didn’t even really use them today; but knowing that the staff of the museum and the accepting and inclusive culture they are striving to create make our family feel welcomed at every visit.

To me, the museum’s efforts reflect acceptance, and I think that’s what ultimately will have the biggest impact. Autism isn’t something they think about for special events or for a day in April (though, they do have many sensory friendly events, which is amazing); instead, they’re committed to educating their staff, finding partnerships with TEACCH and other organizations that can help them, and creating and making resources available to individuals on the spectrum and their families any and all days of the week.

I can go into the museum any day or hour they are open and ask for a cool down kit, noise-cancelling headphones, or an activity resource to help my child navigate what’s expected and what to do. This shows me that they are committed to making their space inclusive all of the time. I think this is what ultimately leads to change. It’s hard to be aware or accept others who are different from you if you don’t see them in your community. So, by making the museum a place that is more supportive of folks on the spectrum, my hope is that not only will those individuals and their families find joy in visiting the museum, but that others will see that these are important people in our community.

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