For 31 years, Neil and Lori Rogers believed their non-verbal autistic son Craig was listening, even when the world had stopped expecting him to respond. In this episode, they share how a method called Spelling to Communicate finally gave Craig a way to express thoughts that had been there his entire life.

Craig was diagnosed with autism at two and a half. Neil and Lori spent three decades trying everything: diet changes, sensory therapy, speech and occupational support, even founding a nonprofit for special education in their school district. Nothing cracked the barrier until 2022, when Craig, then 31, sat down with a simple letter board and spelled out ”black holes” in response to a question about Stephen Hawking. An eye-tracking study later confirmed these kids are choosing their own letters, not being guided.

Within months, Craig spelled his first words to his younger brother: ”Cam, I love you.” He told his practitioner he doesn't want to be called autistic, because to him that word means stupid. His words: ”I am a human with apraxia.”

What Else You'll Learn:

• Why apraxia, not intelligence, is the real barrier for many non-verbal autistic people
• How an eye-tracking study validated these kids are spelling their own thoughts
• What changes in a marriage when a non-speaking child is finally heard
• Why Craig rejects the word ”autistic” and what he prefers instead

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