04-13-2023 Howard Magazine - Flipbook - Page 32
Jamilah Sultan Newman pushes Jasim in a swing while therapist Amy Kuhl watches at Blandair Regional Park. PHOTOS BY KARL MERTON FERRON
can go sideways or spin like a top.
“Neurodiverse [autistic] children need
different types of movement so they don’t have
to just go back and forth,” Sultan Newman said.
To that end, there’s a rocking pirate ship, two
nonverbal communication boards and a free
notes musical area where youngsters can bang
the heck out of faux drums and xylophones. A
swaying AeroGlider is wheelchair-accessible
and an always-popular ride.
“We go several times a week, in summer,”
said Sultan Newman, who lives a few miles
away. When told their destination, Jasim shouts
“Yea!” and tells his mom on what toys he wants
to play. He knows their names by heart.
“What’s great is that he can run around there
without my having to put a safety bracelet on
him.”
Clearly, “Laura’s Place” has surpassed their
expectations.
“If Jasim could play there every day, he’d be
ecstatic,” said his mother, 39, an attorney who
works for the federal government. “Compared
to the ‘tot lots’ here in Columbia, ‘Laura’s Place’
is like Disneyland. It’s the playground at the
top of my list, the equivalent of him going to
an amusement park.
“I’ve never been to a playground that’s as
much fun as this one, even as an adult. In fact,
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| Spring 2023 | howardmagazine.com
“If Jasim could play
there every day,
he’d be ecstatic.
Compared to
the‘tot lots’here
in Columbia,
‘Laura’s Place’is
like Disneyland.
It’s the playground
at the top of my
list, the equivalent
of him going to
an amusement
park,” said Sultan
Newman.
I’ve seen adults who are neurodiverse playing
on the bigger structures there. I don’t know if
[the county] meant to do that, but it’s certainly
a benefit.”
Jasim also tackles the rock-climbing wall,
albeit a mini-version for small children, with
his mom’s blessing.
“He is very high-energy, and kids who are
hyperactive sometimes need to tire themselves,”
she said. “Having to pull his body weight up a
wall exerts something extra. When he comes
home from the playground, eats dinner, takes a
bath and gets ready for bed, Jasim is exhausted.
“When he has had a heavy workout, he’s less
likely to wake up at night; in the morning, he is
well rested and has a better day at school. It’s a
huge difference from when the weather is bad,
and he can’t go out and is frustrated with all of
that pent-up energy.”
And if the skies should open up while he’s
playing at “Laura’s Place?”
“Mommy,” he’ll say, “make the rain go away.”