Autism awareness group launches in Baldwin County

Published 3:00 pm Friday, August 6, 2021

Autism affects 1 in every 54 children in the United States and that does not stray itself from smaller communities such as Milledgeville. 

When Jennifer Rogers’ son was diagnosed with autism, she had nowhere to turn. She went through the struggle of raising her child with minimal support and she does not want those who are in her same situation to feel that way.

In the early 2000s there were very minimal resources for families for children with autism, she noted. 

“There was no one to turn to, there were no support groups,” said Rogers. “I wanted more than medication, I wanted therapy, which is what he really needed and he never got those things.”

Rogers drove to Macon, Athens or even farther to find the help she needed because the facilities in Milledgeville at the time turned her down as there were few specialists in the area. 

There was no daycare for the particular care her son needed so Rogers would leave work roughly three times a week to bring her son home from school. That took a toll on her career, which eventually led to her not having the ability to work. They had to survive off strictly disability.

“Daycare is a big issue for parents,” Rogers said. “Not everyone has grandparents, and even if you do, that doesn’t mean they are able to take care of them.”

While the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) helped her son to an extent, but Rogers contends that there needs to be a program geared strictly for children with autism.

Now that Rogers has experienced what it is like to raise a child with autism with minimal support, she said she hopes to share what she has learned.

The newly created Autism Support Group of Baldwin County, will meet the third Saturday of every month. The first meeting will take place August 21. For those who are unable to make the meeting, Rogers is looking to make a newsletter and send it those who wish to have it.

“I’m just hoping a lot of parents will benefit from it so they won’t feel alone anymore,” Rogers said. 

Rogers reached out to different agencies such as the CDC to be able to have as many resources as possible to help the families. She hopes to touch on topics such as bullying, the classroom, triggers, wandering off, safety, what first responders need to know about autism and many other topics. 

The group is mostly for parents, grandparents or any caregivers who need support. Anyone is welcome, even people who are wanting to learn and understand more about autism. Rogers hopes to have an open forum to share experiences and what caretakers have learned through raising their own child. 

“All autistic children are different,” Rogers said. “They are like fingerprints; what works for this child won’t work for the other child.”

Rogers said she also hopes to create a network so that if a parent is having a crisis, members from the group can support each other and help them get through it. She wants the group to create a ripple effect.

There are resources in Milledgeville such as River Edge Behavioral Health and BenchMark Physical Therapy that can help, however, Rogers contends it is not enough. 

While the a lot of the responsibility falls on the parents, extra support is also needed.

Through this group, Rogers said she hopes to bring more awareness to autism and show families they have somewhere to turn.   

“I want people to see how smart these kids really are,” Rogers said. “They are very bright and intelligent. It’s just that they see things different and they process things different.”