Autistic children should be
included in missing 'alerts'
I am seeking help from North Carolina grandparents of autistic children and anyone who truly cares about children.
Currently, AMBER and SILVER alerts heighten our awareness of missing individuals. Time and again I've witnessed North Carolinians rise to the occasion when a child or adult gets lost. Total strangers, neighbors and family members mount an all-out search.
That tends NOT to be true when an autistic child wanders off and becomes lost. Tragically, few people become aware of the situation. Before these children can be located they may become victims of drowning, the weather or unspeakable crimes.
According to the National Autism Association, the number of children under age 12 with autism who have died within the last four years as a result of wandering off is 14.
These children are so often nonverbal and unaware of danger. They need to be incorporated in either the AMBER or SILVER alert programs so that local people can set in motion the search to find them.
Currently, children with cognitive impairments do not fit in the criteria for AMBER alerts. However, with some modifications to the SILVER alert program, they could be included in that.
I speak as a grandmother of an autistic grandchild who has wandered off several times and, most recently, left the premises under my "watch." The endings were good in each case and I want to continue those happy endings for other children in the autism spectrum.
Their parents need our help. I am appealing to grandparents of autistic children and anyone with a love for children to just take 15 minutes to voice your concerns to your North Carolina legislators. Please call or email them, asking them to include children with cognitive impairments in the AMBER or SILVER alerts.
You can call Sen. James Forrester at 919-715-3050, Sen. Fletcher Hartsell at 919-733-7223 or Rep. Grey Mills at 919-733-5741.
Let us help these parents with autistic children who are already overwhelmed on a daily basis. Speak now, save a child.
Carol McIlwain
Marion
Junior ROTC cadet is
an example to others
I want to apologize to the Junior ROTC cadet I saw last Saturday.
At Pat's Coffee Shop in Mooresville, I saw you dressed in your Junior ROTC military fatigues. Richard, the owner of the shop, was introducing you as "our future" to the military veterans who often fill the shop.
I couldn't help but notice how young yet mature you looked at the same time. I thought about how proud your family must be that you've chosen this path so early on.
Coincidentally, I saw you again later that same day at the YMCA in Davidson. We were among the throng of people who packed the gymnasium to watch a girls gymnastics meet, but it wasn't hard to spot you in your uniform.
As we were walking through the doors I reached out and tapped you on the shoulder and said "Excuse me." You must have thought you were in my way because you turned and simply said, "I'm sorry, sir." Then, you wove your way through the crowd to find your seat.
I want to apologize. What I meant to say was "Thank you." Thank you for being a model for other teens. Thank you for caring enough about our country to stand for it. Thank you for caring about the values that built this great nation.
In ten years you're going to stand out in the crowd just like you did last Saturday.
Chris Baker
Mooresville
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