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Children's Museum to host ?Sensory Friendly Day'

Hometown News: Martin County - 4/13/2018

JENSEN BEACH ? Children who have to deal with Sensory Processing Disorders and/or Autism will get a chance to experience The Treasure Coast Children's Museum with a special day all their own.

The "Sensory Friendly Day" will be hosted on Sunday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and it will be an exclusive event where children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorders can have a fun and interactive learning experience in a comfortable environment.

The event has previously been hosted at the Children's Museum, and had a brief hiatus, organizers felt with April being Autism Awareness Month, it was a good time to bring it back.

"We have partnered with Surfers for Autism and they are sponsoring the event," said Katie Makemson, who is the director of education at CMTC. "Our plan right now is to do them quarterly and they will be sponsoring the next few events."

The CMTC usually opens later on Sundays at noon, but the doors will be open early to give children an extra few hours to enjoy the center. The cannons will be turned off and the music will be turned down. Also, the typical exciting flashing lights and fire station will be off because young people with autism have a heightened sensitivity to them, Ms. Makemson said.

"They have been well-received, and we get positive feedback from people who missed them and wanted us to bring them back," Ms. Makemson said. "And one of the things that we like to do at the Children's Museum is be all-inclusive, and we understand that all of the features of our exhibits create problems with young people that are on the spectrum. So this event was created so that they could come and have a more enjoyable environment for them."

Admission to the event is free, and interested parties are encouraged to pre-register online at www.childrensmuseumtc.org because there is a limit of 75 people for the event. Organizers such as Ms. Makemson have worked with autistic students for many years, so they know the issues that can arise from sensory issues.

"When you work with autistic children, you know that loud noises are a huge thing for them, and sometimes lights and sitting down for an extended period of time is difficult for them," Ms. Makemson said. "This gives them more of the basics that are good for them."

For more information about The Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast, please visit the website at https://www.childrensmuseumtc.org/or call 772-225-7575. The museum is located at 1707 N.E. Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach.