Advocating for autism

Brunswick mom dedicated to helping son Local advocates to participate in fund raising walk on Sunday

Thursday, May 4, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Tom Fedor⁄The Gazette Beth Johnson shares a laugh with her son, Hunter, 5, at their Brunswick home Tuesday. Hunter is autistic and his mother is very active in the autism community. On Sunday, she will participate in Autism Speaks’ fifth annual National Capital Area Walk in Montgomery County, to raise money for autism research.

‘‘When Hunter was born, he was miserable,” Johnson said. ‘‘For a long time he made baby noises, then just stopped speaking, and only started again at 3, after constant therapy.”

During that time, many doctors could not provide the Brunswick mother with a clear answer why Hunter stopped talking. After visiting many doctors and enduring many examinations, Johnson was tired of being in the dark.

‘‘Do you think he could be autistic?” she said she asked a developmental pediatrician. ‘‘The doctor was really apprehensive about it. She said ‘Is that OK?’ I said, ‘Please, just diagnose it, so I can become active in the situation.’”

The doctor concurred that Hunter, now 5, had autism, and that’s when Johnson became active in the autism community.

On Sunday, she will travel to the Montgomery County Fairgrounds to participate in Autism Speaks’ fifth annual National Capital Area Walk, which in the last four year has raised $2.2 million for autism research.

Johnson works many jobs so she can stay close to Hunter. She is on the Brunswick City Council, types for two different companies from home, works at a gym called Muscle Hoggers, answers phones for A-Z Hauling, and works at Beans in the Belfrey Coffee House.

Like most parents with autistic children, Beth wishes that more could be done, and encourages others to be active. ‘‘My advice for parents is go to Autism Society meeting, try anything,” she said. ‘‘If it doesn’t work and doesn’t hurt him, try it. Get all the information you can.”

Johnson is also involved with the Frederick County Sheriff Office’s Project Lifesaver, which provides children with traceable bracelets 24 hours a day.

She became involved in the program after Hunter ran naked through Brunswick last year, and was found on a bridge in Lovettsville. ‘‘I was absolutely, unbelievably scared, but I laugh about it now,” Johnson said.

She said all parents of autistic children want are answers, and with more research, they may someday get them.

Progress is being made with autism research, yet at a slower pace than other diseases.

According to Autism Speaks, autism affects 1 in 166 children, and receives $15 million in private research money. In contrast, leukemia affects 1 in 25,000 children, and receives $310 million in private funding.

Maria Calcani, a walk committee member, said she thinks, ‘‘There isn’t a lot of awareness of autism,” which is one thing this walk will help with. ‘‘Autism is the No. 1 diagnosed development disability, and no research was done before 1995.”

To learn more about the walk, or to donate money, log onto to www.autismspeaks.org.