Autism awareness brings dozens of Merced County families to Livingston

Nicole Faraj-Perez, a Gustine resident and mother, spent Sunday in Livingston with her family and said, unlike at other public events, she felt comfortable knowing her family wouldn’t be stared at in case one of her children had a meltdown or tantrum.

Families with Autism, an event put on by the Carlos Vieira Foundation and 51Fifty Energy Drink, attracted hundreds of people to the 51Fifty headquarters for a day of lawn games, barbecue, magic shows and other activities.

This is the third year the locally based organizations had an event for families living with autism to celebrate National Autism Awareness Month, said Bethany Twist, professional relations director for the Carlos Vieira Foundation.

“This is a legit family fun day for us,” Faraj-Perez said. “We don’t have to worry about being judged. “We can just be the way we are.”

Having a son with autism and a daughter being evaluated for autism, Faraj-Perez said, brings their family different daily obstacles than others and it’s “comfortable” being around dozens of other families who know what it’s like.

According to the Mayo Clinic, autism is a neurological developmental disorder that can impair a child’s ability to communicate and socialize. Children with autism sometimes have trouble expressing their emotions, have delayed speech or have different behavior patterns.

“We definitely deal with a lot of obstacles, more than the average person,” Faraj-Perez said.

Something like going to the grocery store could trigger an “out lash,” Faraj-Perez said. When her son didn’t get what he wanted from the store, he ended up screaming on the ground.

Not all people understand how autistic children deal with situations, she said, and being at a public event and place where people are aware makes the day easier and carefree.

“It’s nice especially if a child does decide to lash out,” Faraj-Perez said. “Nobody gives out those looks and it’s homey, I guess.”

Children of all ages took turns in the potato sack races, petting and feeding a horse, choosing balloon characters, playing with mini race cars and having their faces painted. Hotdogs and hamburgers were barbecued for everyone.

There were “cool down” areas available for children in case they needed a quiet or dark space to mellow out, Twist said.

The number of people who attended doubled compared to last year, Twist said, and many people continually thank them for having a day where families with autism can meet and have fun together.

Sometimes parents can be afraid to take their children out to places because their behaviors is misunderstood or judged, she added.

“It’s nice for people in this area to see how much people are affected,” Twist said. “There’s no judgment. It’s just a fun day where nobody is going to look at them if their child starts crying.”

This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Autism awareness brings dozens of Merced County families to Livingston."