Ocean County Library helps during Autism Awareness Month — and throughout the year

April is Autism Awareness Month, and the Ocean County Library is once again helping answer questions and sharing resources with the community.

The Autism Resources Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, featuring workshops for caregivers, siblings and autistic individuals.

There will also be crafts, entertainment, refreshments, a mermaid princess meet-and-greet, therapy dogs, and a visit from Christian Kane of Toms River's "Field of Dreams." He will discuss how to become a member of the inclusive space with a playground, walking paths, sports fields and gardens.

Workshops include IEP (Individualized Education Program) Meetings: What to Expect and How to Prepare, with SPAN Parent Advocacy Network's Peg Kinsell, from 11 a.m. to noon; and Special Education Law in New Jersey, with special education attorney Andrew Meltzer, from 1 to 2 p.m.

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Beyond April, the OCL helps parents and caregivers throughout the year. It was Wendi Smolowitz, chair of the Library’s Autism Resource Committee, who suggested the library host a fair.

“[My son] was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3, and at the time of his diagnosis we really didn’t receive any type of road map,” she said. “We were told to go home and process things, but there were no referrals to resources, therapists, school, other doctors that we should see and that really bothered me.

“I was able to figure out what to do because I’m a librarian, but it occurred to me that a lot of people in this situation probably don’t know what to do next.”

The Autism Resources Fair began in 2017 “to bring organizations designed to provide services for people with developmental disabilities to the people that need them,” Smolowitz added.

Meredith Sylvestri, OCL's senior sensory space assistant, agrees with Smolowitz that one month of "autism awareness" is not enough. One out of every 35 children in New Jersey has autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For 8-year-olds In Toms River, it's one out of every 14, according to the CDC.

That's why the main Toms River branch and the Jackson branch have sensory spaces (there's also one being built for the Stafford branch). In Toms River, the space features several tools for sensory regulation, including rain balls to shake and play with, comfy bean bag chairs, a cloud-covered ceiling, a speaker chair that vibrates to the beat of music, and more.

“There is interactive equipment, things you can touch to see cause and effect, and there’s auditory stimuli,” Sylvestri said. “We also have the IRiS Musical Touch Wall, which has 10 different modes … and we can customize it to the needs of the user.”

The screen responds to touch with sensory output like sounds and colorful patterns. There's even a game called "Snake," where you have to tap the board to stop the snake.

“Some people love the loud sounds it makes, so we can turn up the volume ...," Sylvestri added. "We can also adjust it for sensory seekers who want to have to push hard on it to make the lights appear. For those who might have gross or fine motor challenges, who need to just be able to brush the wall to make the lights appear, we can do that too.”

Sylvestri's daughter, who has cerebral palsy and sensory processing difficulties, loves the IRiS Musical Touch Wall.

“The reason I wanted to get involved with the space was because when we would go places when she was younger, certain noises or too many people would upset her," she said, "so we’d often have to leave wherever we were and go home."

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All 21 branches of Ocean County Library offer programming for those within the ASD community all year long, from sensory story times to educational workshops. The Autism Resources page on the library's website is regularly updated with autism-related programs, resources for caregivers and fun things to do.

“The Autism Resources page is a really great place to start …," Smolowitz said. "People can find resources specific to their journey, whether they’re a caregiver, a person with autism, a parent or a sibling. “When you’re child is diagnosed with any developmental disability, just processing the diagnosis is enough. You shouldn’t have to wonder where to go and what to do next.”

Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA Today Network New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Autism Awareness Month: How Ocean County Library helps all year