If you've ever had a child who got really attached to a particular toy or piece of clothing, then you'll sympathize with this mom. Deborah Skouson was in a bind.
Her autistic daughter, Cami, would only wear a particular top with flowers on it. Trouble is, the cute top from Target had long been discontinued.
Desperate times, desperate measures. Skouson posted a call to action on Facebook, and rallied her 500 or so friends and their friends to see if anyone out there had Cami's beloved flower top.
"For the past 4 to 5 years, she has been fixated on THIS shirt," wrote Skouson on her Facebook page. "She got her first one in kindergarten five years ago, and we have found four more since then, mostly on eBay. Her current one is almost unwearable, and eBay has gone dry. "
Skouson didn't care too much about the size; she offered to pay for the top and shipping. She just needed more stock - and fast.
Facebook more than delivered. The story went viral, with Cami receiving 80 identical tops from all over the world.
I can see some of you thinking, that's extreme. Maybe mom shouldn't cater to her daughter's every whim. Cami should just be flexible and wear other things.
But that's the thing about autism: kids on the spectrum tend to be way more rigid than typical kids. They will often only eat certain foods or wear certain clothes - sometimes for reasons unknown. Could be a sensory issue or a particular attachment that evades our understanding.
So allowing Cami to wear this top over and over doesn't make her spoiled or entitled. In her own time, with support, she will no doubt wear other clothes.
In the meantime, keep smiling and keep rocking that pink flowered top every single day, girl!
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Autism, Courtesy of a 13-Year-Old Girl
Printer-friendly version