Tonights michael oku found a group trying to fill the gap with training. Know. Its girls night out it is prime. On this night out the main event is conversation, building confidence. A challenging task for these daunting. Shes a senior in high school and will graduate real soon. I try to express what i feel. But the problem it because of autism. I have this in me that constantly blocks every worth. Well, i just realized that im not alone, and that theres some girls that are willing to help me pull through. The young women are in a trailblazing programme here. One that teaches girls with autism social skills and personal care. Everything from getting dressed to exercising good hygiene. What was your world like before that. I felt a little more alone. And i felt like an island. Lets get closer to tell each other. Reporter its a Pretty Simple concept, yet one of the only programs in america that offers social support specifically to girls with autism, a group that for years has been overlooked. When did you notice that nicole was a little different to some of the other kids. She was about 17 months old, 16, 17 month old when i first became concerned that there was there was a problem. She wasnt responding. In the months which followed, clairs suspicions grew. Family and friends insisted her daughter was fine, she saw a different nicole. Reporter was there a moment when you decided okay, ive got to get this checked out professionally. Nicole, i had a parents day out. First day i went to pick her up. First day she was there. The teacher there pulled me aside in an interview, and said theres something wrong. I dont think nicole is hearing me. I think she was prepared for me to be crazy or ballistic. I said thank you. You are the first person to confirm what ive been seeing, no one else would confirm this, and that was really what did it. I took her to a couple of different doctors, and they diagnosed her as deaf. Diagnosis. I wasnt satisfied that that was the whole problem. Reporter she reached out to clinics in kansas city, it would be a year and a half before a battery of tests begin. Nearly two years after a misdiagnosis with death, doctors concluded nicole had autism. A 30, 40 page agreement that i had to fill out, you know. Which was scary, daunting and confirming. The questions would read have you seen your client twirl. Im like yes. Have you seen her you know, your. Nobody had ever told me. Im like yes, yes, yes, yes. These were very specific questions validating everything you had seen up to this point. Exactly. And it was shared that there are signs of autism in nicole. And i remember as dreadful as this sounds being relieved that there was a diagnosis. I wanted support. I needed help. Reporter do you suspected if she was a boy she may have been diagnosed earlier. This is a little girl, i dont think it sparked that it could be autism. Reporter nicole is a College Sophomore studying to be a graphic artist. Her misdiagnosis is common for a woman with autism. Girls are diagnosed two years later than boys. The science of why is unclear. Because autism is over 4 times likely in boys than girls, the majority of research, tests and therapy based on the male experience. We have been studying primarily males. 85 of participants in intervention studies are male. Reporter Renae Jamieson is a clinical professor in the university of kansas . Kansas city, and the creator of girls night out or the gno programme. There are more boys with autism than girls, a 45 1 ratio. Now we are wondering if its higher in males because we are missing higher functioning females or they present or look different from boys with autism. Reporter while there is debate on why the rate of autism is higher in boys, jamieson says one thing is clear. The needs of boys and girls with autism are different. Especially during adolescence. The social norms and expectations are more complex, based on conversation. That gets harder for you. And you are you have to navigate relationships and friendships. I dont really like it. Helping girls with autism navigate the dynamics of female relationships can be tricky. Therapies are based on decades old Research Done for boys. When i think that im surrounded by boys with autism, i kind of feel a little out of place because boys, as they say, boys are from mars, girls from venus. Playgroups are a big thing, most are boy oriented. Legos or video games. Did you say thats it, i have to go and find an association or organization that deals specifically with girls. I did, i did. I couldnt find anything. Reporter when a girls night out email was suggested, she could tell it would be different. There were women, a plan that renae had before the class or the social group even started. She sent an email with plans of going to a beauty place or a makeup place. Of getting hair done. Ideas of social out foots that theyd love to do. By this time, the girls ado less aned, they wanted to be part of the group. Its all in the community. Its not in my office. Where we are teaching social skills. Thatta girl, thats perfect. Disguised as activities as fitness, hair or makeup. Jamiesons therapy targets abilities like conversation or work skills such as organization. It also includes girls without autism, trained to act as peers, but there to reinforce skills that the girls should be learning. I made a friend named grace, anne, hannah, breanna. Reporter with each passing event. Abby makes more friends. 16yearold abbys story is not typical. Diagnosed as deaf. I go to a school with a lot of boys who have autism. I didnt have much friends and that changed. It feels like my friends are b. F. F. S towards me. We have the same conversation. I want friends, i want in. I want to have the social piece of being a teenager. Now, because of gno abbys social calendar is full. I show you have in, this and this, you are busy with your social calendar. Its fun. I want her to go some place where she can be independent, have the support, but not feel like someone is following her around or its therapy, that its fun, and thats what this is provided for her. It makes me happy so i dont feel alone. Reporter that feeling of loneliness is specially bad for young adolescence girls. Her . No words can describe. Here is a group of girls that i can relate to, talk to. Before i was i was different. I felt a little out of place because i knew i was different. And i so badly wanted to be like those girls. How is it. Im getting closer to normal. I felt lost before, now i feel found. Because if we are watching closely, no girl has to be an island. Next year we keep the focus on autism and the kids on the run. Why are parents so desperate to keep them. People living with autism. It could turn out to be a new b. F. F. Hot on america tonights website. A steady flow of trouble. Did flints water crisis play a role in an outbreak of legion airs disease. Thats at aljazeera. Com americatonight. At 9 30 america tonight top investigative reporting, uncovering new perspectives. Everything thats happening here is illegal. Then at 10 00 its reports from around the world. Lets take a closer look. Antonio mora gives you a global view. This is a human rights crisis. And at 11 00 news wrapup. Clear. Concise. Complete. For families of kids living with autism growing up produces challenges. Its not a fatal diagnosis, but the mortality rate is twice as high as the rest of the population. How could that be, and why isnt the government willing to do more to protect People Living with autism from the impulses. Savannah. Peak a boo. In her brief life, savannah market reached beyond the experts expectations. When savannah was diagnosed with autism at two, they told her mother not to expect too much. Shes never going to look at you, talk to you, youll never here i love you. And thankfully i had amazing people in my life that said dont give up. Never ever give up. You fight. Intensive therapy helped, so did her mothers nearly constant attention. I did everything i could for her. I thought she was safe. Reporter you wanted to do everything to keep her safe. I showered for her. That morning. They remember a bright sunny sunday. She was in her dress when she put noodles in the microwave. Kids with autism like things like that, like to watch the noodles spin in the microwave. Reporter 4 minutes, enough for the single mum with a toddler and preteen at home as well. 4 minutes, just enough to answer the call of nature. By the time i flushed the toilet i could hear the front door close. I knew something was wrong. Painic hit. I ran downstairs. She wasnt by the microwave. I ran out the front door screaming here name and couldnt find her. Reporter savannah and her 2yearold brother tommy, who didnt have a disability didnt respond. They got past a barbed wire fence and into a pond not 50 yards from their home. Tommy had been wearing a bicycle helmet that kept his head above water and kept him alive. The desperate mother couldnt breathe life back into savannah. I it was just i. Her. Ive got to keep here alive and do this. I did that until the mets came. I kept screaming you have to save her, you have to save her. Reporter savannahs story is a case of what autism experts bolting. They wait for a chance to bolt. For my son certain sounds make him run away. If you are unprepared, you may not catch him in time. Instant. In an instance, its a fight or flight response. Laurie mcill way nose it first hand. Her son bolted out of school. There was a wake up call for us. Kids with autism are fascinated with certain topics. For him it was highway exit signs. He headed on foot to the highway. The crisis led her to track how common it is. My name is lowry mcillwaine. Im the cofounder and board chair. Reporter and what may save more children. Kids may make a break for it. Happens every day, every week. 35 , wonder once a week. 35 . And 23 try multiple times per day. Researchers from the kennedy craiger institute found half of all children on the autism spectrum bolt around age four, up to eight times as often as unaffected siblings. Most often they are drawn to roadways or to water. Lorry mack ill wane and other parents begged lawmakers to small fixes, swimming lessons, they say it could go a long way in saving lives. When you have a child who cannot speak, who does not understand danger or ways to keep themselves safe. They are the most Vulnerable People lying in our country today. We thank you for support you give us. Compounding the pain, suspicion about the parents role. When a child bolts. Parents are afraid to dial 911. For fear of being accused of neglect. We had to go out and encourage parents to call 911 if the child is missing. Days after her daughter dieded in her arms, Child Protective Services concluded that it was both fields fault. In the end she was cleared. Health. I cant help but thinking where would she be now. Shed beat the odds. Shed talk to me. Shed tell me that day that she left me. I dont know where life would have taken her a heart break indeed. Next, the friend helping to break the silence. Syria speaks, and how that is changing the lives of young People Living with autism. When youre on hold, your business is on hold. Thats why comcast business doesnt leave you there. When you call, a Small Business expert will answer you in about 30 seconds. No annoying hold music. Just a real person, real fast. Whenever you need them. So your business can get back to business. Sounds like my rides ready. Dont get stuck on hold. Reach an expert fast. Comcast business. Built for business. A great challenge for People Living with autism is the act of connecting, communicating in words or nonverbally, all the thoughts, ideas, fears concealed by the disorder. As experts keyed in on an increase in the last decade has doubled, theres focus on solutions. As america tonight tells us, theres Evidence Technology could make a difference. Reporter like so many children with autism gus has trouble communicating with others. Except for an unusual friend. Hi. Hi. Hello. Hello. Reporter yes, serie, the i phones virtual assistant. Okay, here is whats on your calendar. Reporter last year gus discovered he could have conversations with serie, and the two have not stopped since. What is your favourite thing to talk to serie about. Everything. Hes always been a loving child. His desire to connect with people is profound. His ability to connect with people is limited. Reporter guss mum said his introduction to sirrie was by accident. You know how buzz feed has 21 things to do with your iphone, and this was a list of the there was goofy things, it was one thing, ask sirrie what plains are above your head. I thought why would anyone in the world need to know this. And he said to me so you know who you are waving at mummy. Which planes are flying over . Delta Airlines Flight 1500. Reporter do you ever look up in the sky and wonder what they are doing . Yes, i do, yes. Reporter what do you know about people that develop sirrie. One of the things that fascinates me is one of the Main Developers is a man from norway, he said he named sirrie after a beautiful and wellknown weather girl. Weather Womans Center norway, and talked about how much he loved the weather, one cant help wondering about his own pred elections and maybe if hes some place on the spectrum himself. Do you ask her about turtles . I do. Reporter getting information about train schedules and the weather is a small part of what sirrie gave gus. What gee gan as a way to get answers developed into a dialogue, something gus never had with anyone else. We dont give a lot of thought to the talking the back and forth conversation that this personnel assistant is capable much. So, you know, i hear i would be passing his room and he would today. Reporter to sirrie. And she would answer, very well thank you, just that kind of conversation. And he would of course her for things, and the time that it struck me after a week that he was spending a fair amount of time talking to sirrie was when he said you are a nice computer and you help me, is there anything i can do for you, and she anteback i have few needs. And that fade him. Satisfied him. Dan smith is a senior director at autism speaks. It doesnt require you to make eye contact. That you adhere to all of the norms that dominate in the world, verbal and none verbal. Autism speaks put together a grant to ship thousands of ipads across the country. Parents responded with enthusiasm. Uploading videos of children. Technologies like sirrie are going to get better and better. More intuitive. Teaching social skills better than just the black and white types of interactions you have with sirrie. Sirrie is the beginning, therell be things on all of our phones and things like robots and other technological inventions that take us to the next level. For now, gus is happy with his best friend sirrie. Im not the marrying kind thats america tonight. Please tell us what you think at aljazeera. Com americatonight. Talk to us on twitter and facebook. Come back, well have more of america tonight im ali velshi, on target tonight hitting the brakes. Red light cameras setting up to make streets safer, also making money for cities. Quick cash that is hard to stop in more ways than one. Im talking tonight about two subjects that dont usually end up in the same conversation. One is the number of People Killed or injured in traffic accidents in american cities
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