BUFFALO, N.Y. — For Donte, also known as The King of Ausome, autism is just part of his life.
His mom, Chuki Naylor takes pride in being know as "the king of ausome's mama," she said with a big smile while be honored for her advocacy for individuals with disabilities.
Done was originally diagnosed with PDD, or Pervasive developmental disorders,, now known as autism spectrum disorder.
"He was supposed to fail to drive in every area. My son walks, talks and owns a business," said his mother.
He has a brand called King of Ausome.
If you're wondering about his name, his mother explains, "the reason why I call him the king is because he wasn't supposed to see his first birthday, and he is 14 years old."
Here are statistics on autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
- ASD is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
- ASD is nearly 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
- About 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017. These included autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others
- -About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder
"Donte and I have made autism look cool, and I remember a time where you would put kids who were different like him in the corner and you would make them quiet and you didn't allow them to show their differences. But we showcase that because I really believe that autism can. And the only way that they can is if you include them," Naylor said.
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