In Her World - A family's struggle with Austism.

Danielle and I just finished work on a story for National Autism Awareness month (April). We received a call about an Autism walk and a woman approached us about doing a story to help people gain a better understanding of the disability. Brayden Ellis is a 9 year old from Decatur who has Autism. Her infectious laugh and sweet demeanor made photographing her a joy. This was one of those stories that gives what journalist do validation.

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Shrouded in mystery with no cause or cure, autism grabs hold of its victims at an alarming rate. While one in 10,000 children was diagnosed with the developmental disability 15 years ago, that number has risen to one in 150 children. Many families’ only choice is expensive behavioral therapy rarely covered by insurance. The stress and uncertainty of having a child with autism takes its toll on families, often leading to exhaustion, frustration and a sense of isolation. The Ellis family of Decatur is one of those families.