Autistic Child Comforted by Classmate on First Day of School

A photo of a little boy’s kind gesture on his first day of school is taking the internet by storm.

Courtney Moore, a mother in Wichita, Kansas, snapped a photo of the moment her son, Christian, 8, took his classmate’s hand outside Minneha Elementary School two weeks ago.

Her son’s classmate, Connor, is autistic and was experiencing some difficulty adjusting. That is when Christian decided to comfort his fellow second-grader.

I’m so proud of my son,” Moore wrote in a Facebook post. “He [saw] a kid balled up into a corner crying, so he went to console him, grabbed his hand and walked him inside of the school! It is an honor to raise such a loving, compassionate child!”

Moore said her son’s first day of school started off right because he has “a big heart.”

The viral Facebook post has so far been shared almost 23,000 times on social media.

Connor’s mother, April Crites, commented on the post and praised Moore’s son for his act of kindness.

“Tell your son I said thank you so very much! That little boy he helped is my son and is autistic,” Crites wrote. “I worry everyday that he is going to get bullied for being different and your son just absolutely warmed my heart. If there were more children like him I wouldn’t worry about such things.”

Moore responded to Crites’ comment by sharing that her son also struggles with speech, but hopes that this will be the start of something special between the two boys.

“I hope that this will be the beginning of a new friendship for both of our sons. Your son was so sweet,” she wrote.

According to the Autism Society’s website, “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others.”

Some of the behaviors associated with autism include delayed learning of language and difficulty with eye contact and holding a conversation. However, the website said that through early diagnosis and intervention, individuals with autism can experience significant improvement.