Mom Struggles to Find SpaghettiOs for Her Child With Autism, Community Stepped in to Help

An Attleboro mom was struggling to find SpaghettiOs for her child with autism until the community came to the rescue.

Crystal MacDonald from Attleboro is a mother of five; the oldest is 13 years old and the youngest is four years old. She is a full-time nursing student and was also working part-time until circumstances forced her to stay home and take care of her children.

MacDonald's daughter, Ashlyn, has nonverbal autism and has sensory challenges. That means the texture and taste of some food would be too much for her, and so she would refuse to eat them. She would eat only a few types of food, including cheese pizza, grilled cheese, yogurt, and SpaghettiOs with meatballs. MacDonald said SpaghettiOs with meatballs, in particular, gives her daughter the least sensory experience. 

Pandemic disrupted her daughter's routine of school

Ashlyn's school routine was stopped due to the pandemic. That proved to be challenging for her, as school and having structure is Ashlyn's life, MacDonald told The Sun Chronicle. Since then, her daughter has been having trouble sleeping and would not eat anything else but SpaghettiOs.

That would not have been so much of a problem, only that SpaghettiOs became scarce when the pandemic began. Often, she would find shelves empty. She then had to routinely check every store, calling them by phone or personally visiting the grocery store three to four times a week. She would then buy as many as her budget would allow her until stocks become available again.

When her story and other shoppers' experience in food and goods shortages were featured in The Sun Chronicle last month, the community responded quickly. People started helping her find or personally buy SpaghettiOs for Ashlyn, and many of them know someone or has a family member with autism. So they understand the urgency of finding the product. 

MacDonald was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. She felt so much love from her community, she told TODAY. And blessings seem to keep pouring as the company that manufactures SpaghettiOs, Campbell's Soup Company, responded to TODAY's inquiry by donating a year's supply of Ashlyn's favorite food.

MacDonald said it is an "incredible gift" for her daughter and her family. 

As a way of thanking her community, she wants to pay it forward by asking people to donate to The Arc of Bristol County's fundraising campaign.  The Arc of Bristol County is a non-profit organization that helps families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Prevalence of autism

Approximately 1 in every 54 children in the United States is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or ASD, a CDC report said. For most children, autism is diagnosed after the age of four, but some can be diagnosed as early as two years of age.

The majority of cases of autism find genetics as the main cause and children born to older parents are more likely at risk of having the condition. Also, it is estimated that 40 percent of people with autism are nonverbal. Autism Speaks, notes that it is important the early intervention is done to help the child improve in his/her learning, communication, and social skills.