Saint John Mother Says Autistic Children Need More Support

The Anglophone South School District is promising better early learning services for preschoolers, but one Saint John mom says too little is being done to help the other young people who have autism. 

Amanda Hensey has two sons who are autistic. The oldest is 10 years of age and she tells CHSJ News autistic children are falling through the cracks and this is putting undue pressure on their parents.

Hensey says she has been told autism isn't viewed by the professionals as a mental health issue and autistic children are not considered low functioning enough to be classified as special needs.

She points out the numbers of children being diagnosed with autism are skyrocketing from 1 out of 250 in 2002 to 1 in 87 now and Hensey wonders what's going to happen when they become adults.