May 7, 2023
Breaking the Stereotypes: Celebrating the Beauty of a Differently Lived Life
I want to tell you about a boy.
His name is Cooper. He is 12 years old. And he was diagnosed with severe nonverbal autism at age 3.
When I heard those three words for the first time, severe-nonverbal-autism, associated with my son, it felt like everything shifted. Some things slightly. Some drastically.
Everything that once was…was suddenly no more.
I spent a lot of time googling, reading, researching, until I realized my best teacher was my own son.
I say that because there is no text book on autism. There is no crystal ball to predict the future either.
There is just a child. A person. And love, hope, and determination. There is refusing to put them in a box. There is believing in them. Pushing and encouraging and motivating. Expanding of a world ever so slightly.
This morning my nonverbal son got my attention by tapping my shoulder.
He showed me the screen on his speech device.
He gasped. And he smiled.
He tapped his chest and mine.
‘Oldest toy trains store Michigan Mom.’
Now that may not make sense to anyone else. But it does to me.
There is a store called, I Love Toy Trains. They claim to be the oldest toy train store. They are located in Michigan City, Indiana. And he wants me, his mom, to bring him.
He typed these words. He put them into a sentence.
I was told he would never learn to communicate.
I was told he would never learn to spell.
I was told he would never learn to read.
I was told he would live locked inside of his own world.
I was told our life would be sad.
I was told so many things.
And today, he told me something.
Thank God I didn’t listen.
What a gift it is to walk alongside someone who shows me the beauty in a differently lived life.
Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook.
I am very curious as to how he finds the word Michigan with his talker. He must have to go through many screens to find it? It’s fantastic, I am really impressed!