World Autism Awareness Day celebrated in North Bay

Sunday marks World Autism Awareness Day. It's a day to celebrate children with Autism.

One Kids Place, a North Bay child health care centre that works with kids and their families held a free family community day.

This day was for clients and other families to attend to learn more about autism and the services and help the centre provides.

The Carmichael family was making scratch paint. It's one of the activities taking place.

11-year-old Cam Carmichael was diagnosed with autism. His family credits the relationships made through One Kids Place which has helped him with his communication skills.

"With the opportunities they offer, it's been a journey," said Krista Carmichael, Cam’s mom.

"Recently with the diagnosis, we are receiving respite services to support social interactions to get into the community to make friends, which is very difficult for social interaction for my son."

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One Kids Place currently offers a range of services for its clients including a psychological associate, behaviour analysts, behaviour therapists, service facilitators as well as occupational therapists and speech and language pathologists.

"What we've learned is individuals, some of them have different needs," said John Nelson, a psychological associate with One Kids Place.

"But they also have strengths. We work towards inclusion."

One Kids Place partnered with Canada College's 'Athleadership' program in order to put on a range of sports-related activities at the community day on Sunday. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

The centre partnered with a group of Canadore College varsity basketball and volleyball athletes, through the school's 'AthLeadership' program, to put on a wide range of games and activities.

"We just thought about trying to give an activity that kids with autism or kids that want to interact with people with autism to have some fun and be physically active," said Canadore student Logan Parker.

The child care centre currently offers services for roughly 100 families annually. Over the years, staff have learned more about how physical activity can stimulate kids with the disorder.

"For kids that have Autism Spectrum Disorder, there are barriers for them to be included and there are a wide range of barriers those children face," said Nelson.

11-year-old Cam Carmichael was recently diagnosed with autism. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

The Carmichaels will not only be advocating for Cam, but for all kids on the autism spectrum.

"We also we will be lighting our house blue," said Krista.

“We hope to light it up every April 2."

For more information about One Kids Place and its services, visit their Facebook page.