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AmStar theater hosts sensory-friendly movie for kids with autism

AmStar theater paired up with the Autism Development Center at Navicent Health, to create a "sensory-friendly" movie environment.

Grab your popcorn because it's movie time with the movie, "Small Foot" taking over the big screen.

But it wasn't a typical movie environment in this theater.

AmStar theater paired up with the Autism Development Center at Navicent Health, to create a "sensory-friendly" movie environment. Meaning lights were up, and the volumes down.

"For children with autism, the core deficit is sensory processing disorder, so for our kids dark rooms and loud noises is just not a good environment for them,"says Susanna Shell with the Autism and Developmental Center at Navicent Health.

"So this provides that comfort environment, and for the families to be able to come out and have something to do with their kids."

"If they're having trouble and they need to calm down, they can come over here and color. It's also just a fun thing to do while watching a movie," says Shell.

And in those walls was a judge free zone.

"Nobody judges us, nobody looks at us. We're all on the same journey, in the same family, supporting one another, and we all understand," says one parent, Anne Gilleland.

Most importantly, kids can be themselves.

"He can just be himself and us not have to worry about if we offend somebody or disturb somebody; he can just be him," says Gilleland.

The Autism and Developmental center at Navicent say these sensory-friendly movies bring awareness to the importance of reducing triggers, or sensory overload for kids with autism or disabilities.

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