Galaxy Lights at Space Center Houston is introducing its first Low Sensory Night, offering a calmer, relaxed atmosphere for individuals with sensory sensitivities, including those on the Autism Spectrum.

An Endangered Missing Alert has been issued for James David Reuter, a 46-year-old man with autism, who was last seen on foot in the 7200 block of McAfee in Houston at 11 p.m. on Monday.

Bitty & Beau's is more than just a coffee shop, it's a reminder to treat everyone with kindness and respect. With 20 locations in 13 states and counting, their aim is to promote inclusion in the workplace and change the way the world views people with disabilities. Watch their entire interview with Houston Life's Derrick Shore who stopped by for a cup.

Houston offers a variety of swim programs to address drowning risks, particularly among individuals with autism.

Many parents are struggling with long wait times and a shortage of speech therapists.

Fifth Ward native Sheletta Brundidge returned to her hometown to raise awareness about the importance of interior door locks for families who have children with special needs.

"Our hearts are heavy with grief for Aisha and her family," Fulshear police said. "We deeply appreciate everyone who helped in the search and shared the information. Please keep Aisha's family in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."

Authorities are seeking the public's assistance in locating a 12-year-old boy with special needs who has been reported missing from the 10500 block of Walnut Glen Drive.

The district isn't saying how many teachers are what they're accused of, but they've called investigators in from Texas Child Protective Services and Harris County.

A Cypress-Fairbanks ISD parent says a paraprofessional yelled and assaulted his son who has autism. He says the incident left bruises on his son, David’s arm.

The struggles you don't see

April is World Autism Month

A 5-year-old boy with autism was found unresponsive in a pool in Pearland Tuesday, the Pearland Police Department said.

A monitoring system is helping people in Fort Bend County keep track of loved ones who are at risk of wandering.

The FBI said it is in contact with authorities in Las Vegas after a woman said her Jewish son, who has autism, had a swastika carved onto his back.

A mother and father are desperate for help after they say their son with special needs was locked in a dark room at Arrendondo Elementary School.

A Houston man was sentenced to 28 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for scamming $260,000 out of a 68-year-man with autism, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday.

For nearly a decade, a La Porte teenager living with autism has only ever wanted to climb aboard a locomotive.

One in 44 U.S. children has autism. One in 45 adults is living with the disorder, according to the CDC. Here locally, these stats translate to some 165,000 Houstonians.

On a warm, summer night in El Campo, Shacondra Greely reads a story to her 12-year-old son Reagan.

The family of an 8-year-old boy who is diagnosed with Autism expressed concern over services offered to students with intellectual challenges after they said a teacher mishandled their son during an emotional outburst.

Galena Park ISD is working to provide additional emotional support for students as they return to class for the new school year.

Grant Manier is incredibly inspiring.

Officers with the Houston Police Department are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing 17-year-old boy with autism who was last seen Saturday.

According to the latest research, one and 45 adults have autism.

Considering this month is an important time to learn more about autism, we thought we’d ask you, our readers and viewers: If any of you have a close connection to autism spectrum disorder (perhaps you’ve been diagnosed, or you have a friend or child with autism), is there anything you wish more people understood?

Considering this month is an important time to learn more about autism, we thought we’d ask you, our readers and viewers: If any of you have a close connection to autism spectrum disorder (perhaps you’ve been diagnosed, or you have a friend or child with autism), is there anything you wish more people understood?

One way to cope with any extra stress or anxiety is to have the kids engage in play time to help develop motor skills, social skills and language development, according to Dr. Jen Harstein, a children’s developmental psychologist who works with autistic children daily.

The teacher aides who allegedly stood idly by while witnessing a student with autism being attacked by a fellow student at Jones Middle School are no longer employed at the school, according to Aldine ISD officials.

Parents said school staff at a charter school in Katy sexually and physically assaulted their son, who has autism.

It’s estimated that one in 54 children are diagnosed with autism.

Parents of an 11-year-old boy with autism want to know how their son was able to wander several miles from his school before administrators notified them, likely prolonging a disappearance they said should have been reported and solved sooner.

The Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders has created an initiative that will help people with severe autism and caregivers for free.

The first autism awareness license plate in Texas has been approved. KPRC 2 was the first to learn about this specialty license plate, which was two years in the making, Darla Farmer, Hope for Three CEO, spearheaded this whole initiative.

For Anthony and Sammy Taormina, there are two dates that define their lives as people with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder.

A teacher who helps preside over a program for students with autism, Carrie Jones knows full well some aspects the general public might not understand.

Houston artist Grant Maniér could be defined as a Renaissance man.

Track and field and swimming are among the team sports that might be best for children with autism.

April has widely been known as Autism Awareness Month in the U.S., as a way to empower people living with autism and their families.

A Houston non-profit is helping adults with autism learn important life skills.

25-year-old Taylor Duncan is breaking barriers for individuals with autism and special needs through his favorite sport.

For a long time, the month of April has been about Autism awareness but that notion is now changing.The organization, Autism Speaks, says it is now more about acceptance and creating more opportunities for adults living with autism.

Autism may bring challenges for those who live with it, but celebrities with autism have shown they can overcome those challenges to achieve tremendous things and fulfill their dreams.

In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, KPRC 2 meteorologist Britta Merwin held a zoom conversation with several local families and advocates to share their stories.

The mother of a student who was involved in a fight at Huffman Middle School says the video that was posted online is even harder to watch.

William Gray is a talented local singer-songwriter who is beating the odds and helping others along the way.

In KPRC 2′s Voices of Houston series, we are profiling a Houston man who has made it his mission to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder after his young niece was diagnosed with it six years ago.

HOUSTON – Next Friday is World Autism Awareness Day and KPRC 2 will be doing a series of stories to educate viewers and raise awareness about autism. As part of the KPRC 2 efforts, KPRC 2′s Britta Merwin will be holding a Zoom discussion with people who either live with someone with autism or have been diagnosed themselves. If you’d like to be part of that discussion, we ask that you send an email to autism@click2houston.com. Tell us your personal story and what you’d like to share to help increase others’ understanding of autism. You must be available for the Zoom discussion on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. to participate.

Lights atop a police cruiser flash at the scene of a crime in this undated file image. CYPRESS, Texas – Deputy constables have found the parents of a child they said was found walking in the roadway in Fairfield Friday. Deputy constables said they located the child, who is described as being a white male child between the ages of three and six, walking in the roadway at Mason Road and Maple Village Drive. Deputy Constables have located a white male child between the ages of 3 and 6 walking in the roadway at Mason Rd and Maple Village Dr in Fairfield. pic.twitter.com/k59QiV0ix1 — Mark Herman, Harris County Constable Precinct 4 (@Pct4Constable) January 22, 2021Deputies were searching the area looking for the child’s residence.

SUGAR LAND, Texas – People with special needs in Fort Bend County can now benefit from a program that helps people get home safely if found alone or in times of emergency. The system includes a current digital picture, demographic information and caregiver contacts. According to the Fort Bend website, Fort Bend County residents are eligible who have a cognitive impairment or disability that may affect their ability to communicate. The program also requires that anyone enrolling an individual or themselves be either a family member or legal guardian of the individual. The information is placed in a database that can be accessed in a police vehicle or at the police station.

– Families across Texas are struggling to pay for Autism therapy even though legislation was approved last year to help offset those costs. When a child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, parents are often told Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy is their best bet for treatment. While ABA therapy was supposed to be covered by Texas Medicaid, more than 70,000 children in Texas, who are eligible for this treatment if they need it, still don’t have access to it. But for many Texas children enrolled in Medicaid, they are still waiting. Having the coverage through Texas Medicaid would be a huge burden off of her shoulders in more ways than one.

HOUSTON – Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing woman with autism. According to authorities, 20-year-old Martina Lopez was last seen Monday near 1400 block of St. Joseph Parkway. Lopez has autism as well as several other serious medical conditions, such as epilepsy and bipolar disorder, authorities said. This is the second time Lopez has gone missing in a matter of weeks. She was also reported missing on Sept. 14 but was located shortly after.

(NBC NEWS) – Nearly a week after the police shooting that wounded a 13-year-old Salt Lake City boy with autism, Salt Lake City’s police chief has commented on the case. Barton wasn’t at home at the time, but was driving toward her neighborhood when she called 911 from the car. He’s having an episode, he needs to go to the hospital,” said Barton. According to Salt Lake City police, when they got the call, they were asked to respond to a report of a “juvenile” having a “violent psychological issue.” Police have said when they came into contact with Cameren, he ran. Police Chief Mike Brown could not confirm the sequence of events, pointing to three separate investigations both inside and outside the Salt Lake City Police Department that will determine the facts.

HOUSTON The Harris County Sheriffs Office has launched a new program with the goal of improving the departments interaction with people with autism. The Project Guardian program will help engage families with loved ones with autism and provide deputies with information about the person with autism, including whether they may have any special needs deputies should know about when encountering them during a call of service. We continuously work with the community to ensure we are doing all we can to best serve our residents with compassion and understanding, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. Project Guardian engages the community, builds positive relationships, and embraces public safety as a shared responsibility. For more information on Project Guardian or to register a loved one with autism, click here.

SALT LAKE CITY A police department vowed Tuesday to cooperate with multiple investigations of the shooting of a 13-year-old autistic boy by officers in the Salt Lake City area. The Salt Lake City Police Department said the officers were called to a home in Glendale, Utah, Friday night with a report of a boy who had threatened people with a weapon. The boy reportedly ran and was shot by an officer after being pursued by police. No weapon was found Friday, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Salt Lake Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement late Sunday that the shooting was a tragedy and called for a swift and transparent investigation.

Children with autism who also have ADHD tend to get the autism diagnosis at a much later age. Now, researchers want to know why, and how to provide better treatment for better outcomes.