Non Verbal Autism

How Can You Hear Me If I Can’t Speak?I’m a nonverbal person with a learning disability. That doesn’t mean I don't think or have feelings and emotion inside. I think, I feel, I know who I am. But I don’t always have a way to show it in a way people understand.So when people ask, “How can we support you if you can’t tell us what you need?” — this is what I want to say.You can hear me. You just have to look and listen differently.You can help me most by showing me how to use an AAC device and promote my artistic and technical abilities. I may like simple cause and effect computer games. Especially responsive games with lights and coloursWatch how I respond to people, to sounds, to stress. Notice what makes me calm. See what makes me anxious. Listen to my body language, my routines, my reactions.It all says something. It’s not random. I am communicating — just not in speech or writing like you expect.Use the tools that work for me, not just the ones you’re trained in.If I communicate through gestures, images, sounds, typing, or even silence — those are valid ways.Sometimes, my support person knows my cues better than anyone. Trust that. Ask them and all the people around me.Ask me in a way I understand — and give me time to respond.Don’t mistake silence or confusion for consent.I might go along with something because I don’t know how to say no — or I’m afraid.Professionals need to look deeper than compliance. Ask: Does this feel safe for them? Is their body tense? Are they withdrawing? That's communication too.The laws say you're supposed to help, but help often feels like control.Education systems and health services say they support disabled people — but when you only listen to what fits your system, you miss who I really am. I'm not just a label, I am a unique individual too.I’ve been in places where decisions were made for me, not with me. That’s not the most effective support.What real help looks like:Time. Don’t rush me. It takes longer to understand and respond.Flexibility. Let me show you things in my way, not just yours.Creative communication tools tailored to me — not just off-the-shelf ones.Consistent people to help who learn how I express pain, joy, boredom, or fear.Environments that are not too loud, bright, or overwhelming.Professionals who see potential, not just problems.And most of all: belief.Believe that I have an inner life — rich and real. Just because you can’t hear it in words doesn’t mean it isn’t there.If you're truly listening, you’ll see that I’ve been speaking all along. You just needed to learn my language.Resources:Visual-Based AI CompanionProloquo2Go – AI that interprets gestures or image selections into speech