Nonspeaking autism means that an autistic person doesn't use speech/ mouth words to communicate. The term “nonverbal” implies that they don't use language, but this isn't always the case. Many nonverbal autistic people understand speech and writing. Michael was diagnosed with autism, nonverbal, level 2 at 13 months old. His autism, was regressive. Regressive autism is a condition in which a child appears to develop typically but suddenly begins to lose speech and social skills. Signs and symptoms are usually seen between the ages of 15 and 30 months. The loss of these skills can be rapid or slow. It is usually followed by a lengthy period of stagnant skill progression. It’s vital that a child with regressive autism receives the proper diagnosis early on. Once diagnosed, parents and caregivers can learn the appropriate therapies needed. Keep in mind all children with autism are different, and progress will be dependent on many factors. Various studies showed around 25-30 percent of kids with regressive ASD stop speaking after they start to say some words, usually before reaching the age of two. Some children lose social development instead of language, and some lose both. Here are some early signs I’ve detected in Michael between 11-13 months old: * Avoided & didn’t like eye contact * Lost one word, daddy * Failed to respond when his name was called * Unable to point at objects or things of interest, or failure to show interest * Hand leading * Lost ability to wave hi / bye * Generally wanted to be alone * Tip Toe walking * Failed to understand or acknowledge other people’s feelings, as well as their own * Obsessive interests * Shows atypical reactions or under-sensitivity to feel of being hurt or sick * Avoided physical contact * Demonstrated little attention to safety and is greatly unaware of danger #heartbreak #sad #emotional #emotionalmoments #emotionalvideo #struggle #autism #parenting #neurodivergent #nonspeaking #signlanguage #toddler #representationmatters #cute #handsome #autismawareness #autismjourney #autismparenting #nonverbal #fyp #explorepage