BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — A Brookhaven 6-year-old is seeing the world through a different lens.
Jack May was recently diagnosed with autism and loves looking through the lens of his dad’s camera.
"Jack loves looking at pictures and videos," his father, Branden May, said. "I am a photographer and he watches me and wants to imitate what I am doing."
Jack, his parents, his older sister, and his twin siblings, live in Brookhaven with their parents. He was diagnosed with autism last year at age five.
"He was diagnosed at Emory, but we knew he was autistic for a long time. During COVID when kids were home 24/7 (for over a year), Branden and I were both working 40 hours a week from home. Jack needed to be watched constantly; he was like a three-year-old, rather than his age of five," his mother, Brittany May, said.
As of 2020, the CDC estimates one in 54 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the U.S. Those numbers are up more than 175% in 20 years.
Jack's family wants to help raise autism awareness. His mother has even started a support group for other parents.
"We all felt like we were alone, going through these trials in our homes," she said, adding it's been rewarding to connect and share relatable experiences with other families.
"We were all so grateful to have this place to discuss our relatable experiences. We discuss how impossible it can feel to be a loving, present parent to an autistic child, and flourish in your own life at the same time," she said.
Jack attends school in a classroom with one teacher, three staff support personnel and eight kids. Branden said the camera helps Jack open up his "sweet and inquisitive side."
"Whether or not it makes Jack happy in that moment, what he sees through the lens will always be his own unique perception," Brittany added.