Public facilities tailor events to people with autism
August 25th, 2008
From the Kansas City Star, Indianapolis Star:
The AMC Theaters in Kansas City have begun a series of special screenings for people with autism-spectrum disorders and their family members (at left). At a recent screening of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” managers turned up the lights, turned down the sound, and didn’t insist that patrons remain quietly in their seats. Children occasionally stood up, clapped, flapped their arms or ran around in circles in the aisles.
A similar event occurred in the Kansas City restaurant T-Rex Cafe, where managers recently reserved a secluded section for people with autism and served a buffet tailored to avoid certain foods at the direction of parents. A Kansas City-area gym opens its facility once a month to children with special needs, turning off the music for the occasion.
AMC Theaters is also exploring what it calls “sensory-friendly” films in nine other cities nationwide.
(Photo from Kansas City Star)


