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On The Record

The unique gift of a child with autism

By Sheilah Kast,
Melissa Gerr
Published April 22, 2022 at 10:05 AM EDT
Taya Dunn Johnson, board Vice President of The Autism Society of Baltimore-Chesapeake, and her son, Marcus. Photo: TJD.
Taya Dunn Johnson, board Vice President of The Autism Society of Baltimore-Chesapeake, and her son, Marcus. Photo: TJD.

One out of 44 children in the US is affected by autism. The diagnosis can be scary for parents, but the growing array of resources and support has changed the landscape for those living with autism, and for their families.

Taya Dunn Johnson, vice president of the board of The Autism Society of Baltimore Chesapeake, talks about how raising a son with autism has opened her eyes to honor differences in all people. She’s devoted to autism advocacy, and works to dispel myths:

 “If you’ve met one person with autism, that’s it. You’ve just met one person with autism. No two individuals present exactly the same way.”

Links: AMC theaters Sensory friendly films, Second Annual Lip Sync Battle Autism fundraiser, Make Studio mixed media workshops.

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On The Record On the RecordWYPR ProgramsAutism
Sheilah Kast
Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.
See stories by Sheilah Kast
Melissa Gerr
Melissa Gerr is a Senior Producer for On the Record. She started in public media at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minn., where she is from, and then worked as a field producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. She made the jump to audio-lover in Baltimore as a digital media editor at Mid-Atlantic Media and Laureate Education, Inc. and as a field producer for "Out of the Blocks." Her beat is typically the off-beat with an emphasis on science, culture and things that make you say, 'Wait, what?'
See stories by Melissa Gerr