One in 68 children born in the US today is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. The vast majority of them are being raised by single moms, and boys make up roughly three-quarters of those diagnosed. Faced with these and other alarming statistics, Topher Wurts decided to use his background in tech media to develop Autism Village, a free mobile app designed to help families find autism-friendly places and services. The issue is personal for Topher: his son, Kirby, was diagnosed with autism at eighteen months old. Topher shares his family’s caregiving journey with Kirby, from altered careers and tricky social situations to the all-autistic Boy Scout troop Kirby thrives in. He tells us why celebrating each day is what his family is all about, and how his non-profit Autism Friendly is training businesses to better serve clients on the autism spectrum. Note: this episode originally aired August 3, 2017.
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More about Autism Village
Training for businesses
Additional Resources:
“Born on a Blue Day”by Daniel Tammet
“Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew”by Ellen Notbohm
Books by Temple Grandin
Learn about jazz pianist Matt Savage
Scattered: My Year As An Accidental Caregiver is available in paperback and eBook at
