The Miracle House hopes to install new playground equipment and padding to provide a safe place for autistic children like Ashley, 16, to play.

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House of miracles
AUTISTIC KIDS SEEK A SAFE PLACE TO PLAY

the six kids who live at Miracle House in Sunnyvale all need constant supervision -- but not because they're bad.

They're great kids who have some form of autism, a complex neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain.

Ashley, the oldest and most emotive resident, is thrilled to see a familiar guest and is eager to show off her room and her dolls, even though she's done so many times before. She'll playfully withhold the details of her Halloween costume because ``it's a surprise.'' (But she'll whisper it in your ear if you promise to keep it a secret.)

Ashley looks and acts like a happy 8-year-old. But she is 16.

It is not known for certain what causes autism, but experts estimate that as many as six out of every 1,000 children have autism and that up to 1.5 million Americans have the condition. About 80 percent of those affected are male.

The effects of autism can be seen among the two girls and four boys who live together as family at Miracle House, which is run by their school, the Pacific Autism Center for Education in Sunnyvale.

John, 14, wears a bicycle helmet to prevent him from hurting himself. Joshua, 9, repeatedly hops from one end of the living room sofa to the other, then taps the back of his hand on the fabric twice before hopping back to the other end. Ashley picks Joshua up like a little brother and gives him a big hug. That seems to calm Joshua (who is the youngest resident) and stop his repetitive movements for a while.

A full-time staff takes care of the kids and the house.

Though some of the kids live with their parents on the weekends, Miracle House for the most part is the kids' home. It is where they live. It is where they play.

The kids all enjoy playing outdoors, but the back yard isn't safe. The old wooden play structure is falling apart, and there is inadequate padding should one of the kids fall, which happens often.

Even worse, what serves as padding are charcoal-shaped wood chunks; some of the kids are prone to putting the pieces of wood in their mouths.

A new play structure ($2,090) (3A) and the installation of cushioned padding ($2,583) (3B) would allow the kids to play and grow in a safe, stimulating environment. A gift of $50 (3C) would help to provide Miracle House children with a safe place to play.