Vendors display unique crafts at open house for autism awareness

HALIFAX – Ian Downey operates a gluten- and dairy-free bakery, and on Wednesday, his products were on display at the Autism Nova Scotia office on Spring Garden Road in Halifax.

He was one of a number of vendors who have autism and were selling their homemade products to mark World Autism Day.

“Today I’m selling lemon loaf, banana breads, peanut butter cookies, spiced ginger melts, cherry balls, fruit scones, raspberry meringues and muffins that taste like doughnuts,” Downey said.

Jacob Kroetch was there with antique cars, trains and boats he creates from broken pencils, beads plastic and jewelry. They’re not only unique, but also time-consuming to make.

“If I’m making one car, it takes a few hours…but if I make two, that’s about eight or nine or 10 hours,” he said.

In 1995, autism was diagnosed in one of every 500 children. Recent numbers from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention now estimate one in every 68 children is diagnosed with autism — a number that represents a 30 per cent increase since 2012.

“We’ve sort of come to learn that autism is much more prevalent in our communities than we had once thought,” said Ian Sutherland, the chair of Autism Nova Scotia.

Today in Ottawa, the first ever National Needs Assessment Survey for autism was launched. The initiative is looking for 5,000 people to complete an online survey and request an action plan for autism.

Officials at Autism Nova Scotia say there are still many misconceptions about the disorder.

“As we develop awareness about differences and help people understand why somebody might respond differently in a situation — that it has to do with the way they think and the way they experience life — then we have acceptance,” said Vicky Harvey, the community outreach co-ordinator for the organization.

The province recently increased its funding for autism initiatives, but most of it only applies to children younger than six years old.

Sutherland said he hopes more will be done.

“Programming for those people on the autism spectrum over the age of six is perhaps not quite where it should be in this province,” he said.

“Anything government can do to improve services for people on the autism spectrum and improve support for those who support people with autism would be most welcome.”