INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARYLAND YOUTH WITH AUTISM

At first glance, the crowded theatre looks just like any other day at the movies. But as a popular, new animated feature begins to play, the lights remain on and the sound is turned low while audience members murmur and interact with the movie.

AMC Theatres’ Sensory Friendly Films are one of a growing number of specially-designed activities for Maryland children and teens on the autism spectrum. Because of their high sensitivity to external stimuli, those affected by autism spectrum disorder often have difficulty participating in traditional entertainment activities, said Shelly McLaughlin, communication director of Maryland’s largest autism resource center, Pathfinders For Autism.

“It’s incredibly difficult for them to filter things out [like] background noises, visual stimuli,” she said. “Everything is coming at them with the same intensity.”
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