HOUSTON - Jackson White is a standout high school football player and honor roll student while studying Japanese and teaching himself to play six instruments. "Piano, guitar, ukulele, electric guitar, the bass, and kalimba," he says.Jackson is also autistic."I was a lot slower on my work, so maybe other kids would get to go to recess, and I’d just stay inside and still do my work," he recalls of his early years in elementary school.RELATED: Houston professor helps families with autistic children all over the worldHis challenges started before he was born.
His mother gave birth to him on the day of the baby shower, 12 weeks early. He was three pounds and eight ounces."Most babies want to be snuggled and hugged and kissed on, but that was a problem for him," says his mother Jaishelle White.Michelle Rice explains how people can assist a parent of an autistic child if they have a public meltdown.
Also, Rainbow of Hope is expanding its programming through a partnership with Harvest for the Hungry, a non-profit tackling food insecurity across Texas.
For more information or to support ROHTX programs visit https://rainbowofhopetexas.org/.For the first two years of his life, White underwent lung treatments and ear surgery.