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Boardman mom hopes to bring awareness about autism with neighborhood road sign
BOARDMAN
In the three years that Brandy and Tony Lolakis have lived on Applewood Boulevard, they’ve seen drivers hit the same telephone pole multiple times, and their dog has been hit by cars on more than one occasion.
The issue is of particular concern to the couple because they know their son might not be aware of cars speeding down the street.
Romello, 10, has autism, a developmental disorder that has gifted him with traits such as a photographic memory, but also comes with difficulties in areas such as communication and social interactions.
“He has autism, but it’s almost like it’s not a disability. He’s just a really amazing person,” said Brandy Lolakis. “He may struggle in a lot of things, but he excels in other things.”
Romello does well in school, especially in math, she said. The fifth-grader at Boardman Center Intermediate School can do three-digit division problems in his head.
There are challenges, too.
“Kids with autism usually have compulsive behavior,” Lolakis explained. “You and [I]might see a car and judge the distance. They may be able to judge that distance, but when they get engaged in something, that’s all he’s doing. If he’s playing basketball, that’s all he’s focusing on.”
“If that ball goes into the street, he’s not going to look both ways,” she said. “I had to tell him before, ‘Romello, I’d rather lose the ball than you.’”
It’s for that reason that Lolakis researched how to get an autism awareness sign installed in the family’s neighborhood.
The township road department came out recently and put the yellow sign up near the Lolakises’ house.
Road Superintendent Marilyn Kenner said the signs are available to anyone who asks for one.
“If somebody requests it, we absolutely will put the sign up,” she said. “If a resident would like to have the sign placed, all they have to do is call.”
Residents can ask for other signs, as well, such as ones that alert drivers to deaf children in the area. Call the road department at 330-726-4190 to put in a request.
Aside from the safety issue, Lolakis hopes people will learn more about autism itself.
One thing she’d like people to understand about children with autism is the way it affects their ability to express themselves.
Some people who see her son cry, for example, might not realize that his tears are simply the result of a developmental delay.
She recalled one time when she was playing outside with Romello and he started to cry. Neither of them knew why, until she realized her son simply was overheated and didn’t know how to express that to her.
“Hopefully people will be more educated,” she said. “I’m not faulting anyone, because I didn’t know a whole lot about autism when I had my son.”
As for the autism awareness sign, so far Lolakis has not seen much of a difference in drivers’ behavior, but she hopes awareness will spread.
She wants drivers to know: “They need to watch out and be a little more careful in the area.”