1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 When 8-year-old non-speaking autistic Rafael found text-based communication, he didn’t just start “answering questions.” He started telling the truth about his body, his anxiety, and the frustration of being misunderstood. &amp;nbsp; If you’ve ever looked at your non-speaking child and thought, “I know there’s more in there… I just don’t know how to reach it,” this conversation is for you. &amp;nbsp; Today I’m joined by Daria and her 8-year-old autistic, non-speaking son Rafael, co-creators of Spelling the Tea on Autism on Substack and Instagram. After discovering text-based communication, they realized how deeply Rafael had been misunderstood - and started documenting both his words and the science that helps explain them. &amp;nbsp; Inside the episode, we talk about: Rafael’s “goner mindset” before communication and what typing changed about his sense of the future. How apraxia creates a gap between intention and movement and why that gap gets mislabeled as “low IQ,” “behavior,” or “non-compliance.” The concept of an “interference score” for food! How Rafael would redesign first in schools for non-speakers. Why regulation, communication, and learning are inseparable… and why independence in cognition does not mean independence in motor and sensory systems. &amp;nbsp; This is a humbling, practical, and very human reminder that: We can’t keep separating “behavior,” “sensory,” and “cognitive” boxes. Research on autism that excludes non-speakers cannot be our only compass. And most importantly: sitting still is not a pre-requisite for real thinking or rigorous education. &amp;nbsp; You can find Daria and Rafael at https://www.instagram.com/spelling_the_tea_on_autism/ and&amp;nbsp;https://spellingthetea.substack.com/ &amp;nbsp; You can find Dr. Vaish Sarathy at https://www.instagram.com/drvaishsarathy/ Check out her 6 foundational tips on education at https://www.drvaishsarathy.com/nonlinearlearning Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners https://www.drvaishsarathy.com/ <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/39320810/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/item/39320810