It’s estimated that as many as 40 percent of children with autism spectrum disorder are non-verbal. Being the parent of a child with non-verbal autism has its challenges, but the rewarding moments make it all worthwhile.
Kate Anderson is mom to Nicholas, who has non-verbal autism and attends a special education class at public school.
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He also spends time in general education kindergarten classes, including recess – and that’s where a beautiful friendship has blossomed.
An unexpected friend
A little girl who Kate has chosen to refer to as “E” has taken Nicholas under her wing.
She holds his hand, sits with him, and talks to him, knowing and accepting that he can’t talk back.
No bullies
For Kate, this is the biggest sign of acceptance – a little girl wanting to be friends with her son despite their differences.
A study found that 46% of children with autism in middle school and high school are bullied for being different. To say it isn’t easy going through school as an autistic child is an understatement.
Love, respect, acceptance
But Kate has proof that you don’t have to look far to find love, respect and acceptance amongst children.
After reaching out to the little girl’s mom, Kate learned that Nicholas’s friend talks about him all the time, and is, by nature, a helper.
Social distancing changed things
Though Nicholas can’t see E in person because of distance learning, he does see her on the computer, which, according to Kate, makes him excited every time. He knows that the little girl is his friend, and even made her a card on her birthday.
Sharing her story to Love What Matters, Kate wrote:
“As a mother to a child with special needs, it melts my heart to see somebody accept my son for who he is. I love that Nicholas has such a genuine friendship with this little girl.”
The spirit of gratefulness
She added that in the Thanksgiving spirit, she wanted to give thanks that her son was being included at school, writing:
“I’m thankful for the kindness and that Nicholas has a friend like E in his life. I’m grateful E has parents who taught her what it means to accept people who are different from her. E has given me hope for my son’s future.”
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Accepting people as they are
“She doesn’t try to change him. She likes him just the way he is. A true friendship is when someone knows everything about you but likes you anyway. That’s exactly how E is.”
Little children are a constant reminder to us all of how treating one another as equals is the secret of a loving, non-discriminating society.
The desire to fit in
Children with autism don’t want to be singled out for being different, whether for good or for bad reasons.
They just want to fit in, to be respected and appreciated for who they are, because of their disorder and not in spite of it.
If you’re keen to learn more about Kate and Nicholas, you can find her on Instagram, where she shares the trials and tribulations of raising a child with autism.
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