How Pokémon Go Is Having a Profound Effect on a Little Boy With Autism

For many parents, the Pokémon Go craze has been all about losing their kid's attention and fearing that they'll put themselves in danger. For Lenore Koppelman, Pokémon Go is changing her son Ralphie's life for the better, and she admits she doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"MY AUTISTIC CHILD IS SOCIALIZING," she wrote in a post on Facebook. "Talking to people. Smiling at people. Verbalizing. Participating in pragmatic speech. With total strangers. Looking up at them. Sometimes even in the eye. Laughing with them. Sharing something in common. This is AMAZING."

The game, which becomes much more fun when you play with others, is helping Ralphie, a boy who hates breaking routine, to change things up and engage with people in a way he never has before. "Thank you Nintendo! ASD mama's DREAM! I love you!"

Read Koppelman's full post below.