I used to work in a classroom of 3-5 year olds, we had a little boy who is non verbal autistic. We taught him to do “I love you” just like that. Now he knows how to say it and it made his parents cry they were so happy
People have this misunderstanding that ASD kids don't "get" language or don't understand, they totally do! Teaching my 5 year old to sign when he was 1 helped so much and I firmly believe that is what helped him finally learn to verbalize. I recommend signing to any parent of a kid who has sensory issues!
@@rxxrcousin However, if those communicating behaviors are aggressive or cause self harm, teaching replacement behaviors, social skills, compliance, and activities of daily living through ABA therapy can be extremely helpful. An aggressive, non compliant child will be isolated at school and in the community. A child that has some social skills and is reasonably well behaved can be more easily included and accepted.
My brother is 24 and has autism and is non verbal. Some of the most amazing humans to walk the earth. We truly have a lot to learn from people with special needs
@@dianajames4717 there’s no “getting better” but he becomes more “independent every couple years or so. Very proud of him. Most innocent spirit I’ve ever witnessed. He’s a North Star in my life. He’s more special than he could ever realize
When you tell her you're proud of her and she does that sweet smile my heart exploded. I'm working on communication with my almost two year old and must tell you I admire the work you do with her. It takes patience, love and effort, maybe some frustration tears but it's worth it. She's great.
@@painedfetus8210of course, there is someone who think they know better. Does she look infuriated to you? As they said in the video, everything she does is a way to communicate. They would know if she’s upset, but here she’s obviously just distracted. If you paid attention, they say one of the things that make her upset is the inability to communicate what she wants, which is exactly why this is necessary.
Get the best remedy to improve your child’s autistic condition from doctor Oyalo as his herbs have helped my child improve in speech and social skill very well.
I have autism but mines low on the spectrum, I was mute for 10 years and I haven’t been speaking for that long but I’m great full to my school for helping me with it, I used a tablet to speak and sigh language.
@@richardmangelmann4975 I have never been to therapy (I probably should but well...) and I’m not going to auto diagnose myself (and even if I were to I think I had selective mutism and not autism) but I’ve also struggled with talking so here’s my experience. I spent almost 8 years talking only in really specific situations like for example with my parents and only when I felt really comfortable with some really close friends but I was almost 100% mute to teachers, other adults, classmates, family members like aunts or cousins... For me I just felt like I couldn’t talk at all, I felt incapable of doing so even if I knew that my vocal chords were perfectly fine, I just couldn’t even if I wanted to (most if the times I didn’t really want to talk either as I felt really uncomfortable with the idea of doing so but when I wanted to I couldn’t). People used to pressure me to talk which made the situation worse and made me feel really anxious which ended up causing me to isolate myself and talk even less.
Remember there is a HIGHLY intelligent human being inside that body. I can’t wait to see her Excel at life ❤ I have autism/dyslexia I understand how hard it is to be inside a body that’s directionally difficult. You are amazing kiddo very proud 😢
Yes and to completely know a child's mind throughout their struggles it is best without medication,I know some conditions need treatment but not all need to be induced with chemicals,from the age of 3 my son was diagnosed but couldn't have medication until 6 years of age but completely wish I had never gone down that road ,wish I had never given the medication at all but you listen to professional individuals and think they are correct because of the profession they are trained but was I wrong to listen to anyone else ,but it's like anything you learn from your mistakes but it is not right that any child should be an experiment 😢 my thoughts now are strongly considered before I rush into anything. Medication isn't always going to be right for the child ,love, understanding and patience is the key. I don't have any reason to lie to anyone about my decisions with regards to my kids. Everything I do is because I love them .
Bruh i use to think the samething but do your research some people's brains aren't perfectly normal and it may effect them. You also dont need to say everything you think. She is still a child. I went through a lot of trauma at one point in my teenage life i loss my ability to talk and walk. The brain is weird but the more ya know. @reggiebanksrb10
Bruh i use to think the samething but do your research some people's brains aren't perfectly normal and it may effect them. You also dont need to say everything you think. She is still a child. I went through a lot of trauma at one point in my teenage life i loss my ability to talk and walk. The brain is weird but the more ya know. @reggiebanksrb10
I'm so glad you're teaching her to love and utilise technology as opposed to avoiding and even fearing it. So many parents of neurodiverse children tend to steer their kids away from technology thinking it will make their symptoms better, but in reality, it can be such a valuable tool and really improve someone's quality of life if utilised properly.
@@私はクソな中国人です what? it’s just referring to people (like myself) who are on the autism/adhd etc spectrum. it’s very much a real term used by mental health professionals.
@@私はクソな中国人です why is it nonsense? Do you even know what it means? “The term neurodiversity refers to variation in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood and other mental functions. It was coined in 1998 by sociologist Judy Singer, who helped popularize the concept along with journalist Harvey Blume.”
Non verbal people really do teach us that 90% of communication is non verbal. I think Talking makes us lazy to this. My son really taught me a lot on this when he was at the non verbal stage. He does talk extremely well now
Esi N he was 18 mths when he stopped talking all together and screamed. Then around four he started repeating everything. Five back to sentences and would be deemed as high iq and very articulate now at 12. He has pathological demand avoidance which is autism but very anxiety driven. Thankyou for asking.
I have Autism myself and it's really interesting to see other people that have Autism because it helps to know how to help others and I love learning new things and love helping others
Hi can you reply how you learnt reading and writing as I want to help my son learn he is 8 years speaks 8-10 words only majorly I have to ask he says yes no , but he knows words like garden, outside ,wear clothes etc
Our 7 year old daughter is so so so like Abbey. I mean literally almost the exact same. Same movements, same sounds, same expressions. You start to feel like you’re alone in raising a nonverbal child, but your videos help me see that we’re not alone, and that little connection is really special.
My daughter too is 7 and nonverbal. She's also just like Abbey. Absolutely similar to a T. I want to know why there are so many children nowadays that can't talk because it's really really hard
My son is 10 and non verbal. It is hard but, they are such a gift. I am 47 and we had one child in my age group that was special needs in our whole school. I myself think it’s something environmental. Something different in our water, medical, or in our Air. I don’t feel we can rely on the ones in government or medicine to tell us truth and I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am aware of corruption everywhere.
@@chickapeas5646 that makes sense. I have 3 older kiddos- in their 20s. They never had issues. My now 2 and a half year old is still nonverbal and showing signs of autism. Something’s up.
I can totally relate to her I used to be nonverbal I am autistic I am only verbal now because I was put into occupational therapy when I was 7 and because of that it has helped me communicate so much better
9:32 This is a magic moment. You told her that it was a donut and not a cookie for the very first time just a minute earlier and already she has stopped trying to respond to your question with "cookie." The fact that she didn't even attempt to bring her left hand toward her right one this time shows that this is totally not a passive exercise. She understands what you're saying and she's trying to do what you want her to do. It's awesome. I love these language-centered videos. Feel free to make a million more 😉
My daughter only watches the first 3 seconds of shows and rewinds it over n over , knowing your daughter does this as well makes me feel better, thank you ❤
My son does it with a big bang theory intro. He doesn't like the show but he loves the intro song and will rewind it over and over and over forever. He knows how to say again in sign language and used to make me do it until he learned how to do it himself. H
I’m a grad student studying special education and I work with students with autism everyday, yet I still learn so much from you all. I love watching you everyday, my favorite channel. Thank you for sharing your lives❤️
This was a great video! Liam struggles with sign because of focus, muscle control, etc so it was interesting to see she kind of modified to signs! I can't get over how big she is!
I am also on the spectrum and I have ADHD as well. I am going into special education in order to help others like me and your daughter. I am so glad that you are talking about this and helping people understand how she functions! Please keep doing what you are doing!
As an autistic person who is very high functioning, this is *fascinating* Something about the way I can see so many of the things I do in her but manifested in much more extreme ways is really interesting. What you said about her not understanding the need to express emotions was also very interesting to me because as an aspie I understand the need to express emotions and I want to but I just can't quite do it properly
This is why I watched it too. It's always fascinating seeing traits and symptoms that are vaguely familiar - I can wrap my mind around what someone like her must be feeling - it's just so much more extreme than what I know personally.
@@Momlovesbabies.no. Low functioning is considered not being able to communicate at all or understand anything about the world you're in. She is high functioning in the fact that she can do basic hygiene and bathroom practices, and the fact that she can understand her parents. It's obvious she knows her parents. To me, it seems like an attention span and involuntary motor reflex issue paired with emtoinal development. I have all the symptoms but was never diagnosed. It is believed people like me learn how to blend really well due to being mocked endlessly like I was as a kid. And never received help. Now my 12 year old son was diagnosed 7 years ago. So he's getting all the proper help I never got. I'm glad this condition is being recognized more. But only reason I suspected it, is because his doctor asked if I was diagnosed. There was my sign.
We have 4 kids, 12, 10, 9, and 7. My 9 year old son Cody and my 7 year old daughter Lainey are both on the spectrum, and my 10 year old daughter has Tourette syndrome. I've gained so much knowledge and perspective from your videos, and I'm so grateful to you and your wife for sharing your family's story. My daughter is a little higher functioning and she's going into 2nd grade this year in what will be her first time in class without a 1-1 therapist with her. My son Cody however, is profoundly affected and like Abigail, Cody has a Pica diagnosis and another for Apraxia of Speech. Seeing Abigail as she's developed has been absolutely priceless to my husband and I. I know all of the kids are different, and it's not a great idea to compare them to one another, but Abigail has always remind me of Cody is many ways, and she has taught me that there is so much to look forward to, and it gives me such much hope for all of my kids and for our family. There are some things that even the most understanding and supportive friends and family can never fully understand about what it's like to raise a child with special needs. Your videos have been my go-to when I'm unsure or feeling guilty or just looking for advice, and I've lost count of how many times your videos led to direct benefits and progress for us. Having been the conductor of my own Hot Mess Express for the past several years, I've always marveled at your ability and energy to share so much of yourselves for so long. I just had to reach out to thank you and to tell you that in case you're ever wondering if it's worth all of what you've given, I can tell you it's been absolutely priceless to us! Abigail is a beautiful, smart, funny, amazing young lady, and you and your wife have done such an amazing job. What a blessing you've been to Abigail and to all of us who've had the pleasure of joining you on this crazy ride for the past several years. Thank you! ~Stacy
This is my first time here, and I am crying. I am a mom and am being checked to see if I am Autistic. But that's not about my tears. I am crying because of the purity of love and respect you all show Abby. My youngest son is 22 and for most of his early learning years he had a bad speech issue. So your family helped me remember about a both hard and important time. With that said, Abby you got this.
I was waiting for a finger to get into those huge bites. Asa was close to losing his fingers on her half bite 🤪 Once again, excellent and exceptional job by Abbie, showing the world that you can love yourself!!🥰🤟🏼🤣
just goes to show that autism and/or intellectual disability doesnt mean stupid. she learns so fast, despite the fact that the entire world is designed for neurotypicals, and often excludes her. all it takes is the right support system and the right tools, and shes living her best life and learning things like a genius
I have a nonverbal autistic granddaughter but without her doing sign language without her talking one word I know exactly what she wants I've been with her since day one my granddaughter and I have our own language without words without sound language
I also have a granddaughter who I have been with since she drew her first breath! I just found this video today & I the Jove it displaced brought me tears of joy! Yes , communication does not have to be verbal!❤️
I'm an adult and after a seizure I experience appraisal for anywhere from 15-30 minutes, but I can sign to my family for what I'm feeling or need. I've never connected that word with a non-verbal child. Thank you for sharing with all of us.
When someone requests to use bathroom thats a "right now" request therefore she puts 2 and 2 together and tries to use it to get whatever it is she wants "right now" lol
I was thinking the entire time about how confused WE all must be because of how language shapes our minds. Our girl is over here just like, “okay but a snack is a snack, dad.” 😭 💕
I am 34 years old and in a couple of months my mom and my 15 year old nonverbal autism brother will be coming to live with our family. Thank you for these videos. They're helping me prepare as my mom gets quite overwhelmed (she doesn't speak English) and I want to help with my brother as much as I can. I'm concerned about long term help, but I'll cross that bridge eventually. Ah. You two are excellent parents
I have worked with autistic kids before, I think you are doing amazing! I have seen the bad side of this disorder and she is lucky to have you guys and your support
I just had my first child three months ago. This was my first meaningful exposure to autism. I’ve been afraid of the many potential unknowns in his future development, but this makes me not afraid anymore. Not only that; now I see it’s important to learn much more about autism and basics of interacting positively with those across the spectrum as best I can. Thank you for the perspective and the glimpse into your lives.
i love that, asa's tryna get her to say "i love you" instead she signs "i love me". so dad signs to her, "I love you" and she's like, "what a coincidence, I love me too". lol that's ok abbs we love you too, love ya fam
My nephew has Autism and I just always knew he was so gifted. My sister worried soo much, but I always told her to just do the best she can and support him fully. He may be different in some ways but we all are and thats why the world is so beautiful. Everyone has different interests, and for my nephew music is one of them as he taught himself how to play the guitar. Learn what they love, support and nurture that passion, and watch them grow! ❤
I’m so glad you take the time and commitment to making sure you understand your daughter. As someone with Aspergers, I was misdiagnosed as ADHD at age 3 and instantly put on Ritalin, which eventually became Adderall, Lithium, and many other things. I wish my parents would’ve taken the time to truly understand what was going on with me rather than allowing a doctor to misdiagnose me. Nowadays I’m doing much better, and it warms my heart to see parents taking the time to understand and fully dedicate themselves to helping their little ones with autism. Best of luck in the future!
@@kasey1998d were you able to do any kind of behavior mod training? I know this doesn’t work for everyone, but some people have been like taught mental discipline. Not to say adhd people don’t have that, but I lack the ability to describe it differently, it’s almost like exercising focus differently. Not sure how old you are or if you have access to this kind of treatment
Where did you hear this!??? My son was 3 yrs old on Adderall n before that Focalin!!!! I don’t know who told u that or maybe it varies from state to state!
I have been thinking about this lately for my nonverbal autistic 4 year old. Who will take care of her when her dad and i are gone. He has MS and i have severe breathing problems. She does have cousins her age and a younger sibling so.... maybe they can help when we are gone.
Awww Abbie's very sweet. Love her pretty little face. She's really trying to process what you're saying and obviously loves pleasing people. You both are so patient. She's definitely a very happy girl. Thanks for sharing. You're helping a lot of parents with autistic children out there.
im autistic and it makes me so happy to see allistic people supporting and loving us! thank you for accepting your daughter as she is and not trying to change her to fit society's false idea of normal!
@@jesus-christsonofgod2121 Yep. We are entering in a Era where everyone knows who we are and why we have come to this point. Its doesn`t matter how these wierd creatures will react, the only thing i know is:´´rebound familes from all over the world, and the the spiritual revolution finally come to it`s edge``. Long live king Jesus Long live all the brothers and sisters of light✨
@@rodrigoferreira9527 society just needs to be taught about these things and hopefully they'll understand what people or even their own family is going through
I care for my 3yo granddaughter during the day , my granddaughter does not speak so we use ASL and other forms of signing. When I watched this video of Abigail she reminds me so much of my granddaughter. It took a year to get an appointment for autism evaluation. It has taken another 9 months for the evaluation to be complete and now we are waiting on ABA to approve us for therapy. I spend all day with my granddaughter and I am so thankful and happy every single moment we are together. She understands words but cannot speak. She cries so hard about it sometimes and I keep telling her I am getting her help. Thank you for letting me get this out, I subscribed to your channel and of all the informative video channels I have watched - I really feel your Abby is very close to what my granddaughter may be experiencing.
My little half brother is non-verbal autistic. He has been doing speech/ language therapy since he was 3. He can say two sentences and both involve trucks and the color red. I taught him sign language a bit when he visited me for a summer but his mom didnt like that I did that (but he communicated extremely well with sign language) and to this day, hasnt bothered to teach him. Last I seen of my brother was when he came to my HS graduation and he told me he loved me. Honestly I balled right there as it was very rare he said anything outside of his two sentences but it melted my heart and made me a proud sister despite not being able to be in his life as a big sister should be (Im the eldest of 6 kids) due to issues with distance and family.
I dislike that his mom doesn't like the sign language, my little cousins (one autistic and one very likely on the spectrum) are verbal and even they use sign to convey topics. Emma responds best to signs when she is being instructed to do something but again she speaks very well.
My 2.5 year old is on the spectrum nonverbal. This is very new to me since he just started his school. They use pecs and teaching hand over hand. Thanks for showing how that works. Seeing this inspires me to do more modified signs for him. Right now he only uses more when he’s eating snacks. I’m gonna figure out more ways for us to communicate better. She’s so sweet. Thank you for posting.
I love how you called her IPad her voice, I started tearing up! Watching the vlog from the beginning, you really can see how much Abbie has learned and grown! Your family is amazing! It makes me so happy to see Abbie so happy with life! I absolutely love watching your Vlog, and I always tell my other coworkers at my Elementary School about the Vlog. It has taught me a lot! I also love the process you guys take to teach her a new sign!! You can see her focus and determination to sign donut! Ahhh I’m so in love with this Vlog family❤️😢
The happiest part of my day is seeing Abbie! And when she squash’s her accomplishments I almost get a little tear In my eye I’m so so happy and proud for her! Will always be cheering you on Abbie! If I ever get a chance to build a family of my own one day, I hope it is very similar to the Maass family they all rock!
Me too. I most if the time,i cant tell my mum what I want to eat even if I know what I want, so I have to like say it with my mouth closed if u get what I mean? But its strange because I can say other stuff in between, but when it comes to the food i want, i cant say it
Guys u on spectrum? I have similar problem with talking. I mean when I was deppresed i could t speak with my family, but i could with my youngest brother. And it is so weird right? But idk. For example now I am better but also when in worse mood I only whisper to my parents when it is necesary.
I was diagnosed with a mild form of ASD when I was two and a half! Unlike your Abigail, I was already talking but I was doing the echolalia thing! Thankfully I took years of speech therapy until I was 14, and now I’m able to say anything that comes to my mind! I’m sorry that your Abigail still struggles to communicate to this day!
Thanks for making this video. My 5-year-old asked why some people don't speak, and I was able to show him this video. I explained that there are many reasons why people are non-verbal, but many still communicate with signs and communication devices, like what we see Abigail use in this video. Seeing how Abigail uses these tools was so helpful.
I randomly got recommended this video but I'm glad that I watched. ASD is very complex condition and there is always something new to learn in regards to ASD. Wish you all the best!
The 🍩 is such a fun sign, and to see Abby work so hard and follow directions even with the muscle control being a challenge, she manages to stay on task, not get frustrated!! I was so cheering her on when she did every movement! The speech therapy is fascinating (my gbaby has slight apraxia, I thought it was just babytalk but he already is saying words at age 3 that he thought he was saying correctly) I was going to college to open a school for pre K children with Autism, back in the 80’s but so little was known that I couldn’t find enough information and quit. I so applaud you’re tenacity at not only keeping your baby girl safe in this world but also wide open to all of the joys in life she can and will experience!! This is such a learning lesson for all of us!❤❤❤thank you for your channel, we ❤you, Abby & family!
Ha, were you saying out loud everytime asa asked too?? 😂 I was just like "car" * does car sign* "it was car" "CAR" "asa it was car" *doesn't sign for car again , but with more force* 😂 ..car..
I have Autism but I have a little bit of it like I can talk and all I have is like it’s hard for me to read but I’m Getting better but I’m happy and thankful I love you guys and I love her 🥺
My bff also have that, she has a big bracelet where and it has “bathroom, play, hello, help, etc.” I’m glad to be her friend because I love helping people.
I have high functioning autism there is light at the end of the tunnel thank you for spreading awareness much love ❤ I couldn’t talk earlier for a while until I went to concord special school here in Australia 🇦🇺
Is the excessive signing/scrolling through the signs perhaps a form of her stimming? What a great, calm, and educational channel. Thank you for sharing in a way that is respectful towards your daughter.
this is so amazing. my friend is nonverbal and i sometimes am unable to talk. this video actually showed me some of the signs in some modified sign language that my friend uses so i can understand them even without the use of the ipad she uses. this also helped me so i can find ways to still communicate even when i find that I’m unable to talk, which is rare, but still scary when i can’t talk like i normally would. she seems like an amazing friend to have! :)
You guys are amazing the patience you give her 😭I'm having a tough time with my 4 yr old boy diagnosed with autism. You inspire me to better and I want to thank you for sharing as well 😭😭thank you ❤️
My Grace and your Abby are so similar. I love watching you guys. It helps me expand the activities and learning that we do with my daughter. Thank you!!
I have a non verbal brother, hes 10 now and I'm really interested in how you've taught her these things, we've been trying to teach my brother but nothing has worked, I'd love a comment back
@@jessicanyambi3286 I've heard a story of a nonverbal learning to read by being given books she loved...like her mom who adopted her found out her topic interest. That helped her eventually talk too she uses actual words from her mouth.
Speech therapy is the best way to understand how language develops, generally you start with single words with highly motivating consequences. For example, if your brother enjoys candy, giving him candy after every correct communication (picture exchange, iPad use, sign language or verbal approximation depending on skill) will reinforce the response and increase the likelihood of future independent request. Basically you are making it rewarding for communication to occur. It can take a long time depending on the child but don't be discourage, when the association occurs it will open up greater avenues for communication.
@Psychedelic Tunnel whether its effective or not i very much doubt anyone is gonna give there kid lsd lol. It'd be like giving speed to a lazy child. It would work but certainly not the right way to do things haha.
Thanks for posting! My 3yr old nephew is also nonverbal autistic. This will help provide insight to his growth and development. He loves his iPad, too, and we’re all learning how to sign!
Here's a thought: maybe when she's signing "bathroom" after having just gone she's saying "I just went to the bathroom successfully" and (as is the case with being conditioned through a behavior modification system such as ABA) she is expecting a reward of some kind? I noticed that she led Priscilla to what she wanted after having signed "bathroom" which leads me to believe that bathroom in this context might actually be a mand for a reward without actually naming the item she desires. In that line of thinking, she might actually be asking for affirmation for doing a good job by going to the bathroom. FWIW, my son (who is able to verbalize but still lacks the functionality for using speech conversationally) does something similar with his manding. Like you with Abbie, we have ingrained routines into him through ABA - but they have almost become ritualistic. He knows that if he is refused something highly preferred (such as a drink of water or a shower) he will instead ask to go the bathroom where he will either drink from the faucet or will then go right for the shower instead of using the toilet. Even being verbal doesn't make communication easy, but it instead illustrates his comborbid intellectual disability disorder.
(Not disagreeing with ya or anything) I would tend to sway with Asa on this, I think Abbie signs 'bathroom' as an attention type behaviour, or more specifically a conversation starter. because when she does sign it, unnecessarily, she seems to usually get the response similar to "bathroom?" " youve just been to the bathroom" "hey, how about we do this .. ", so she gets a question back to her- which is nice, some interaction-which is nicer, and a follow up task or treat or conversation. Win win. ..thats just what I see. But I have zero interaction with autism, and just watch these vlogs. but just a thought
cherryvon87 maybe it is just attention seeking - but then that makes it an opportunity for them to confirm not only that she did just use the bathroom but to inquire if she did all the steps - such as asking “did you wash your hands?” That in turn also reinforces hygiene and also affirms that asking for food or drink is therefore appropriate as well as being a reward. That’s not just communication skills, that’s ABA mixed in. Autism parents have to think several steps ahead and also multitask. The object is expand our kids’ perspective as well. Disabled or not, if we gave them something every time they asked they’d never progress in anything other than gaining weight. It works both ways though. At some point these lessons are learned and we don’t realize that our kids are smarter than we’ve given them credit for.
That's the downfall of ABA, you're conditioning a response in a person who doesn't necessarily understand/is capable of accepting exceptions to rules. When you can't grant rewards in a timely manner or you no longer reward a certain behavior (especially if they gain independence in doing certain tasks without you knowing) it's hard to break that response of 'reward?' and it's difficult to explain why the reward won't come this time around.
As someone with borderline aspergers aka PDD on ASD spectrum she is sooo cute! I can imagine how frustrating it is to get your needs and wants communicated. I'm sure she probably feels trapped inside her body sometimes. I worked with non verbal ASD students before they seemd to know I was similar to them and opened up to me quickly. Thanks for sharing :)
She is so sweet! ❤ The little smile she gave at 13:27 after her mom said that she loves her and is proud of her is proof that she understands much more than some people might think.
I didn’t really like getting tickled as a kid because people take it too far. I don’t really have really seen them tickling her so I don’t know 🤷♀️. I can’t say anything anything about that, because I have no idea.
@@Nan-59 She was being kind of tricked into raising her arms and tickled in a playful way. Not everyone likes being tickled. It wasn't done in a bad intention. It may be part of the learning curve. No harm. And I may be mistaken about it too. I don't think it's a big deal.
Many autistic people including myself dont raise our arms up and like to keep them tight to our body because we have low spacial awareness its hard to sense where parts of our bodies are in space we often have "t rex position" with our arms folded up close to our body and hands resting on our chest its often our default position because of the low spacial awareness and other reasons or just because its most comfortable for us
I just stumbled across your channel and I’m so impressed both you guys as parents but especially with her! I have a nonverbal low functioning son who just turned 28. He was much more expressive and doing more things throughout his teen years. Slowly, though, he began to digress. Now he rarely communicates at all, at 28 . Like he gets made or upset and starts yelling (roaring, he has a big voice Lol) when he’s hungry or thirsty. I was pretty young when I had him. Knowing what I know now I wish I would’ve pursued treatments, and community resources as well as worked with him one on one. I have to say, you and your daughter have been a blessing to me today. ❤️
I had a friend with trisomy 21 and he had a terrible time with "you" and "I". Abbie doing the pointing to herself reminded me of this. Also, the "literal" thing in autism. If dad says: "you", to her, that means "me".
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
I used to work in a classroom of 3-5 year olds, we had a little boy who is non verbal autistic. We taught him to do “I love you” just like that. Now he knows how to say it and it made his parents cry they were so happy
People have this misunderstanding that ASD kids don't "get" language or don't understand, they totally do! Teaching my 5 year old to sign when he was 1 helped so much and I firmly believe that is what helped him finally learn to verbalize. I recommend signing to any parent of a kid who has sensory issues!
@@kleinemaus6094 Yep! That's why ABA therapy breaks my heart because they stop "behaviors" that are often just that kid's form of communication.
That's so cute
Uooui
@@rxxrcousin However, if those communicating behaviors are aggressive or cause self harm, teaching replacement behaviors, social skills, compliance, and activities of daily living through ABA therapy can be extremely helpful. An aggressive, non compliant child will be isolated at school and in the community. A child that has some social skills and is reasonably well behaved can be more easily included and accepted.
I remember the vlog where She said “Ok” clear as day. I got so excited thinking it could be a beginning. 💗. Thanks for sharing all your info.
What was the title of that one?
Title please?
Title?
@@LifeIsAmazing33 what did you say ?
Yes the title is What did you say.
My brother is 24 and has autism and is non verbal. Some of the most amazing humans to walk the earth. We truly have a lot to learn from people with special needs
I'm so sorry I hope he gets better
@@dianajames4717 there’s no “getting better” but he becomes more “independent every couple years or so. Very proud of him. Most innocent spirit I’ve ever witnessed. He’s a North Star in my life. He’s more special than he could ever realize
@@brianhageland9951 I understand. I wish him nothing but the best.
@@brianhageland9951I have two sons ages 31 and 24 with Fragile X Syndrome and I agree…most amazing humans!❤
I wanna be her friend, I have Autism and i'm also non verbal. I try talk and i can talk for a short while but then i cant.
:O i hope u have a happy life:')
Aww you seem so lovely, hope you have an amazing life and don’t forget you are valid.
Hi
Am autistic but I can talk :D
A lot of what she's saying is really clear to me, but that's probably because autism is common in my family and a lot of us are all over the spectrum.
When you tell her you're proud of her and she does that sweet smile my heart exploded. I'm working on communication with my almost two year old and must tell you I admire the work you do with her. It takes patience, love and effort, maybe some frustration tears but it's worth it. She's great.
Mgs
💚
Luckily they have the time and money to give her this life. Many people don't and living with someone with autism can be a nightmare because of it.
Sweet girl. I love this. She probably knows so much more than she can express.
shes very much human too so that makes all the hand/wrist grabbing infuriating because its so unnecessary. just show her you doing the signs
@@painedfetus8210 how would he be able to show her if she’s trying to turn around? All he’s doing is redirecting her. Stop.
@@painedfetus8210of course, there is someone who think they know better. Does she look infuriated to you? As they said in the video, everything she does is a way to communicate. They would know if she’s upset, but here she’s obviously just distracted. If you paid attention, they say one of the things that make her upset is the inability to communicate what she wants, which is exactly why this is necessary.
Get the best remedy to improve your child’s autistic condition from doctor Oyalo as his herbs have helped my child improve in speech and social skill very well.
It has no brain to realize what's being conveyed via sign @@painedfetus8210
I have autism but mines low on the spectrum, I was mute for 10 years and I haven’t been speaking for that long but I’m great full to my school for helping me with it, I used a tablet to speak and sigh language.
How did it feel when you couldn’t speak? Was it just like a Barrier or does one not understand how? I’d like to understand it more
@@richardmangelmann4975 I have never been to therapy (I probably should but well...) and I’m not going to auto diagnose myself (and even if I were to I think I had selective mutism and not autism) but I’ve also struggled with talking so here’s my experience.
I spent almost 8 years talking only in really specific situations like for example with my parents and only when I felt really comfortable with some really close friends but I was almost 100% mute to teachers, other adults, classmates, family members like aunts or cousins... For me I just felt like I couldn’t talk at all, I felt incapable of doing so even if I knew that my vocal chords were perfectly fine, I just couldn’t even if I wanted to (most if the times I didn’t really want to talk either as I felt really uncomfortable with the idea of doing so but when I wanted to I couldn’t). People used to pressure me to talk which made the situation worse and made me feel really anxious which ended up causing me to isolate myself and talk even less.
Same here
@@xiaojunslefteyebrow same. i was diagnosed with selective mutism at 7
I like how the typo "sigh language" actually makes sense here LOL
Hope she will always be happy
I agree.
@@samanthatsalkos1341 ikr
@@leilalee8284 ??i
Same😅
why are u here-
Remember there is a HIGHLY intelligent human being inside that body. I can’t wait to see her Excel at life ❤ I have autism/dyslexia I understand how hard it is to be inside a body that’s directionally difficult. You are amazing kiddo very proud 😢
Yes and to completely know a child's mind throughout their struggles it is best without medication,I know some conditions need treatment but not all need to be induced with chemicals,from the age of 3 my son was diagnosed but couldn't have medication until 6 years of age but completely wish I had never gone down that road ,wish I had never given the medication at all but you listen to professional individuals and think they are correct because of the profession they are trained but was I wrong to listen to anyone else ,but it's like anything you learn from your mistakes but it is not right that any child should be an experiment 😢 my thoughts now are strongly considered before I rush into anything.
Medication isn't always going to be right for the child ,love, understanding and patience is the key.
I don't have any reason to lie to anyone about my decisions with regards to my kids.
Everything I do is because I love them .
There isn’t. There’s a coddled nearly grown person that refuses to speak. The parent enables It for financial support from the government.
Bruh i use to think the samething but do your research some people's brains aren't perfectly normal and it may effect them. You also dont need to say everything you think. She is still a child. I went through a lot of trauma at one point in my teenage life i loss my ability to talk and walk. The brain is weird but the more ya know. @reggiebanksrb10
Bruh i use to think the samething but do your research some people's brains aren't perfectly normal and it may effect them. You also dont need to say everything you think. She is still a child. I went through a lot of trauma at one point in my teenage life i loss my ability to talk and walk. The brain is weird but the more ya know. @reggiebanksrb10
@@reggiebanksrb10 You are fully insane. That may be the stupidest thing I have ever read.
I'm so glad you're teaching her to love and utilise technology as opposed to avoiding and even fearing it. So many parents of neurodiverse children tend to steer their kids away from technology thinking it will make their symptoms better, but in reality, it can be such a valuable tool and really improve someone's quality of life if utilised properly.
”Neurodiverse” what a nonsense word
@@私はクソな中国人です what? it’s just referring to people (like myself) who are on the autism/adhd etc spectrum. it’s very much a real term used by mental health professionals.
@@私はクソな中国人です why is it nonsense? Do you even know what it means?
“The term neurodiversity refers to variation in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood and other mental functions. It was coined in 1998 by sociologist Judy Singer, who helped popularize the concept along with journalist Harvey Blume.”
@@私はクソな中国人です just say you're ignorant and leave 🙄
It's how my son can connect. I'd never take his devices away.
Non verbal people really do teach us that 90% of communication is non verbal. I think Talking makes us lazy to this. My son really taught me a lot on this when he was at the non verbal stage. He does talk extremely well now
What age did he start talking please... my son is 5 and is non verbal 💕
Esi N he was 18 mths when he stopped talking all together and screamed. Then around four he started repeating everything. Five back to sentences and would be deemed as high iq and very articulate now at 12. He has pathological demand avoidance which is autism but very anxiety driven. Thankyou for asking.
Neurodiverse family adventures thank you
Esi N ❤️
Hi there,
I have a 5.5yr old daughter who is non verbal, just wanted to say when did your son start talking?
I have Autism myself and it's really interesting to see other people that have Autism because it helps to know how to help others and I love learning new things and love helping others
I have autism myself
Same
Hi can you reply how you learnt reading and writing as I want to help my son learn he is 8 years speaks 8-10 words only majorly I have to ask he says yes no , but he knows words like garden, outside ,wear clothes etc
Same here I agree
@@georgecarlinn6288not all autistic people are like your son, but as an autistic person, maybe speech therapy would help?
Our 7 year old daughter is so so so like Abbey. I mean literally almost the exact same. Same movements, same sounds, same expressions. You start to feel like you’re alone in raising a nonverbal child, but your videos help me see that we’re not alone, and that little connection is really special.
My daughter too is 7 and nonverbal. She's also just like Abbey. Absolutely similar to a T. I want to know why there are so many children nowadays that can't talk because it's really really hard
We feel the same way. My son has limited verbal skills. The sensory actions are the same
What in the brain is causing it
My son is 10 and non verbal. It is hard but, they are such a gift. I am 47 and we had one child in my age group that was special needs in our whole school. I myself think it’s something environmental. Something different in our water, medical, or in our Air. I don’t feel we can rely on the ones in government or medicine to tell us truth and I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am aware of corruption everywhere.
@@chickapeas5646 that makes sense. I have 3 older kiddos- in their 20s. They never had issues. My now 2 and a half year old is still nonverbal and showing signs of autism. Something’s up.
My sister has autism... she can talk, but she gets lost in speech and can't pronounce things clearly and sometimes makes up words...
My son does this. He's improving every day though!
Body be made whole in Jesus name
@Black metal baby 😂😂
lol
@@kleinemaus6094 sure bud
I can totally relate to her I used to be nonverbal I am autistic I am only verbal now because I was put into occupational therapy when I was 7 and because of that it has helped me communicate so much better
They don't want to get her the right help it would mean less money! I don't think people realize the amount of money they have made off her
9:32 This is a magic moment. You told her that it was a donut and not a cookie for the very first time just a minute earlier and already she has stopped trying to respond to your question with "cookie." The fact that she didn't even attempt to bring her left hand toward her right one this time shows that this is totally not a passive exercise. She understands what you're saying and she's trying to do what you want her to do. It's awesome.
I love these language-centered videos. Feel free to make a million more 😉
I'm crying of happiness. I see my daughter in her.. This video has given me more hope, and I'm so proud of you Abigail!!!!! You're an inspiration!
My daughter only watches the first 3 seconds of shows and rewinds it over n over , knowing your daughter does this as well makes me feel better, thank you ❤
My son does it with a big bang theory intro. He doesn't like the show but he loves the intro song and will rewind it over and over and over forever. He knows how to say again in sign language and used to make me do it until he learned how to do it himself. H
My grandson does this with his favorite cartoon scenes.
Same with my daughter …drives me crazy sometime lol
I’m a grad student studying special education and I work with students with autism everyday, yet I still learn so much from you all. I love watching you everyday, my favorite channel. Thank you for sharing your lives❤️
This was a great video! Liam struggles with sign because of focus, muscle control, etc so it was interesting to see she kind of modified to signs! I can't get over how big she is!
I love your channel 💕
Vvhghhhvhh
Yeah, she has always struggled with muscle control, primarily in the movement of her hands.
I'm on the spectrum and my name is Liam too. That's pretty neat
Love sign ops vlog pulled ups and downs
Thankyou I don't know y'all doing tonight
Give it was just gonna
I am also on the spectrum and I have ADHD as well. I am going into special education in order to help others like me and your daughter. I am so glad that you are talking about this and helping people understand how she functions! Please keep doing what you are doing!
She's a precious little wonder. You really just want to give her a hug. Everyone loves Abbie just like she is part of everybody's family.
As an autistic person who is very high functioning, this is *fascinating*
Something about the way I can see so many of the things I do in her but manifested in much more extreme ways is really interesting. What you said about her not understanding the need to express emotions was also very interesting to me because as an aspie I understand the need to express emotions and I want to but I just can't quite do it properly
I have a picture of a ghost on a tv.
@shitukabir1635 hay go away I'm trying tell people how I saw a ghost here.
Is non verbal considered low functioning?
This is why I watched it too. It's always fascinating seeing traits and symptoms that are vaguely familiar - I can wrap my mind around what someone like her must be feeling - it's just so much more extreme than what I know personally.
@@Momlovesbabies.no. Low functioning is considered not being able to communicate at all or understand anything about the world you're in. She is high functioning in the fact that she can do basic hygiene and bathroom practices, and the fact that she can understand her parents. It's obvious she knows her parents. To me, it seems like an attention span and involuntary motor reflex issue paired with emtoinal development.
I have all the symptoms but was never diagnosed. It is believed people like me learn how to blend really well due to being mocked endlessly like I was as a kid. And never received help. Now my 12 year old son was diagnosed 7 years ago. So he's getting all the proper help I never got. I'm glad this condition is being recognized more. But only reason I suspected it, is because his doctor asked if I was diagnosed. There was my sign.
She is lucky to have such a patient family and you are lucky to have such a clever happy child. Thank you for sharing.
Abbie is literally the cutest person ever and one of my moods daily😂
I absolutely love her modified version of signing it’s uniquely fitted for her and I smile every time
Qwertyyuiiop
We have 4 kids, 12, 10, 9, and 7. My 9 year old son Cody and my 7 year old daughter Lainey are both on the spectrum, and my 10 year old daughter has Tourette syndrome. I've gained so much knowledge and perspective from your videos, and I'm so grateful to you and your wife for sharing your family's story. My daughter is a little higher functioning and she's going into 2nd grade this year in what will be her first time in class without a 1-1 therapist with her. My son Cody however, is profoundly affected and like Abigail, Cody has a Pica diagnosis and another for Apraxia of Speech. Seeing Abigail as she's developed has been absolutely priceless to my husband and I. I know all of the kids are different, and it's not a great idea to compare them to one another, but Abigail has always remind me of Cody is many ways, and she has taught me that there is so much to look forward to, and it gives me such much hope for all of my kids and for our family. There are some things that even the most understanding and supportive friends and family can never fully understand about what it's like to raise a child with special needs. Your videos have been my go-to when I'm unsure or feeling guilty or just looking for advice, and I've lost count of how many times your videos led to direct benefits and progress for us. Having been the conductor of my own Hot Mess Express for the past several years, I've always marveled at your ability and energy to share so much of yourselves for so long. I just had to reach out to thank you and to tell you that in case you're ever wondering if it's worth all of what you've given, I can tell you it's been absolutely priceless to us! Abigail is a beautiful, smart, funny, amazing young lady, and you and your wife have done such an amazing job. What a blessing you've been to Abigail and to all of us who've had the pleasure of joining you on this crazy ride for the past several years. Thank you! ~Stacy
I have a daughter with autism too. She is preverbal. She is 7 years old. We live in Ukraine. Nice to meet you.
Hope you guys are doing alright.
@@brendandunphy6706 🙄 Educational comment (not being sarcastic).
That's exactly what innocence looks like. And pure joy. Something we forget as we grow but she never will. Amazing.
We don't forget. Adults force us to.
People with autism grow up too, no?
That kind of patronising attitude really doesn't help autistic people.
@@Marina-cq2yt of course we do.
She never will grow up or forget?
This is my first time here, and I am crying. I am a mom and am being checked to see if I am Autistic. But that's not about my tears. I am crying because of the purity of love and respect you all show Abby. My youngest son is 22 and for most of his early learning years he had a bad speech issue. So your family helped me remember about a both hard and important time. With that said, Abby you got this.
Who would have the heart to dislike this, shes a little angel, beautiful❤️
Those are just likes from Australia!😅
The people who think that Abby shouldn’t be on TH-cam cause she might not understand that the video can be seen by the whole internet
Stupid people. They just dont understand abbie or what her family is doing
@@Jen_TheSnail no
@@Jen_TheSnail 🤣🤣👍 good way to look at it
“Scuse me while I eat half this donut in one bite.” LOL Abbie is such a great learner! Thanks for this video Asa. Very informative and entertaining.
I was waiting for a finger to get into those huge bites. Asa was close to losing his fingers on her half bite 🤪
Once again, excellent and exceptional job by Abbie, showing the world that you can love yourself!!🥰🤟🏼🤣
Every time she too a bite I was laughing. She knew the faster she ate that doughnut the sooner the lesson would be over lol 😂
just goes to show that autism and/or intellectual disability doesnt mean stupid. she learns so fast, despite the fact that the entire world is designed for neurotypicals, and often excludes her. all it takes is the right support system and the right tools, and shes living her best life and learning things like a genius
"What do you want?" reaches for doughnut!
I have a nonverbal autistic granddaughter but without her doing sign language without her talking one word I know exactly what she wants I've been with her since day one my granddaughter and I have our own language without words without sound language
I also have a granddaughter who I have been with since she drew her first breath! I just found this video today & I the Jove it displaced brought me tears of joy! Yes , communication does not have to be verbal!❤️
Amazing that lawyers tried to make the case that she's unteachable when here she is, plain as day, learning a new sign in a grand total of 5 minutes.
Wait what are you talking about? When? What happened, is info on it on TH-cam? Help!
Yeah I would _really_ love an update on that. That sounds like some toxic abelism... or whatever. I so want to know.
@Miri they have aloooot of vlogs, there's likely many an update in there
Are you aware that there are lawyers that specialize in mental health law advocating FOR people with Abby's condition?
Attorneys main job is to basically lie
Man, I got so proud of her when she was learning the sign for donut, made me tear up and everything. Great job Abby!
I'm an adult and after a seizure I experience appraisal for anywhere from 15-30 minutes, but I can sign to my family for what I'm feeling or need. I've never connected that word with a non-verbal child. Thank you for sharing with all of us.
This made me so warm and fuzzy inside. She's beautiful and I'm so happy she has such an amazing family. Thank you for this!
When someone requests to use bathroom thats a "right now" request therefore she puts 2 and 2 together and tries to use it to get whatever it is she wants "right now" lol
I was thinking the entire time about how confused WE all must be because of how language shapes our minds. Our girl is over here just like, “okay but a snack is a snack, dad.” 😭 💕
I am 34 years old and in a couple of months my mom and my 15 year old nonverbal autism brother will be coming to live with our family. Thank you for these videos. They're helping me prepare as my mom gets quite overwhelmed (she doesn't speak English) and I want to help with my brother as much as I can. I'm concerned about long term help, but I'll cross that bridge eventually. Ah. You two are excellent parents
For some reasons I have tryed a lot that you do with Abbie on my son and it’s working you guys are the best.🌹
She’s such a beautiful girl. 🥺 and I love how well she has improved her communication since I first seen y’all’s videos a few years back,
I have worked with autistic kids before, I think you are doing amazing! I have seen the bad side of this disorder and she is lucky to have you guys and your support
I just had my first child three months ago. This was my first meaningful exposure to autism. I’ve been afraid of the many potential unknowns in his future development, but this makes me not afraid anymore. Not only that; now I see it’s important to learn much more about autism and basics of interacting positively with those across the spectrum as best I can. Thank you for the perspective and the glimpse into your lives.
i love that, asa's tryna get her to say "i love you" instead she signs "i love me". so dad signs to her, "I love you" and she's like, "what a coincidence, I love me too". lol that's ok abbs we love you too, love ya fam
it sounds egotistical
My nephew has Autism and I just always knew he was so gifted. My sister worried soo much, but I always told her to just do the best she can and support him fully. He may be different in some ways but we all are and thats why the world is so beautiful.
Everyone has different interests, and for my nephew music is one of them as he taught himself how to play the guitar.
Learn what they love, support and nurture that passion, and watch them grow! ❤
You could see her working so hard to get her fingers to cooperate with the donut sign- but she picked it up so quick. Go Abbie!
Love these informational videos most of the times I don’t ask questions just because I don’t want to be rude so these videos are amazing!💜💜
You tube reccemmed your video tonight. I absolutely enjoyed this video. Helps me feel not alone. My young son is autistic. Newly diagnosed.
she is such a smart girl. it makes me really happy to see you guys informing other people about y'all's daily life's.
It’s got nothing to do w u mind ur own business Ciara
I’m so glad you take the time and commitment to making sure you understand your daughter. As someone with Aspergers, I was misdiagnosed as ADHD at age 3 and instantly put on Ritalin, which eventually became Adderall, Lithium, and many other things. I wish my parents would’ve taken the time to truly understand what was going on with me rather than allowing a doctor to misdiagnose me. Nowadays I’m doing much better, and it warms my heart to see parents taking the time to understand and fully dedicate themselves to helping their little ones with autism.
Best of luck in the future!
How old r u now? And which time u got diagnosed that u have Aspergers?
Sorry I mean when?
@@kasey1998d were you able to do any kind of behavior mod training? I know this doesn’t work for everyone, but some people have been like taught mental discipline. Not to say adhd people don’t have that, but I lack the ability to describe it differently, it’s almost like exercising focus differently.
Not sure how old you are or if you have access to this kind of treatment
They do not give that medication to anyone under 6. Tell us lies some more.
Where did you hear this!??? My son was 3 yrs old on Adderall n before that Focalin!!!! I don’t know who told u that or maybe it varies from state to state!
I can’t help but worry what happens to children like Abigail when they grow up and their parents are no longer here. 😢
I don’t see a solution.
Unfortunately, children like Abby don’t live long lifespans. I get so sad thinking the same about my daughter. Life can be so cruel :(
@@snowman3963 It's not cruel as long as those kids are happy. Life is cruel only when you start looking at negative aspects of it.
I have been thinking about this lately for my nonverbal autistic 4 year old. Who will take care of her when her dad and i are gone. He has MS and i have severe breathing problems. She does have cousins her age and a younger sibling so.... maybe they can help when we are gone.
@@snowman3963She’s autistic though? Autism doesn’t shorten lifespan from what ive heard
@@snowman3963 I didn’t know autism causes a diminished lifespan.
Awww Abbie's very sweet. Love her pretty little face. She's really trying to process what you're saying and obviously loves pleasing people.
You both are so patient. She's definitely a very happy girl.
Thanks for sharing. You're helping a lot of parents with autistic children out there.
Dude “obviously loves people pleasing” she’s not a dog. She’s a human being ffs
im autistic and it makes me so happy to see allistic people supporting and loving us! thank you for accepting your daughter as she is and not trying to change her to fit society's false idea of normal!
You’re right,society for me it’s like a bunch of Robots.It’s Not her fault If she’s what it is.She had a dark past,just like me.
@@jesus-christsonofgod2121 Yep. We are entering in a Era where everyone knows who we are and why we have come to this point.
Its doesn`t matter how these wierd creatures will react, the only thing i know is:´´rebound familes from all over the world, and the the spiritual revolution finally come to it`s edge``.
Long live king Jesus
Long live all the brothers and sisters of light✨
@@rodrigoferreira9527 society just needs to be taught about these things and hopefully they'll understand what people or even their own family is going through
I care for my 3yo granddaughter during the day , my granddaughter does not speak so we use ASL and other forms of signing. When I watched this video of Abigail she reminds me so much of my granddaughter. It took a year to get an appointment for autism evaluation. It has taken another 9 months for the evaluation to be complete and now we are waiting on ABA to approve us for therapy. I spend all day with my granddaughter and I am so thankful and happy every single moment we are together. She understands words but cannot speak. She cries so hard about it sometimes and I keep telling her I am getting her help. Thank you for letting me get this out, I subscribed to your channel and of all the informative video channels I have watched - I really feel your Abby is very close to what my granddaughter may be experiencing.
Hope she's getting extra help. I'm sure you're doing everything you can. Takes a village to raise any child.
My little half brother is non-verbal autistic. He has been doing speech/ language therapy since he was 3. He can say two sentences and both involve trucks and the color red. I taught him sign language a bit when he visited me for a summer but his mom didnt like that I did that (but he communicated extremely well with sign language) and to this day, hasnt bothered to teach him. Last I seen of my brother was when he came to my HS graduation and he told me he loved me. Honestly I balled right there as it was very rare he said anything outside of his two sentences but it melted my heart and made me a proud sister despite not being able to be in his life as a big sister should be (Im the eldest of 6 kids) due to issues with distance and family.
I dislike that his mom doesn't like the sign language, my little cousins (one autistic and one very likely on the spectrum) are verbal and even they use sign to convey topics. Emma responds best to signs when she is being instructed to do something but again she speaks very well.
You guys seem like great parents. And she's so smart
Yes thay are
My 2.5 year old is on the spectrum nonverbal. This is very new to me since he just started his school. They use pecs and teaching hand over hand. Thanks for showing how that works. Seeing this inspires me to do more modified signs for him. Right now he only uses more when he’s eating snacks. I’m gonna figure out more ways for us to communicate better. She’s so sweet. Thank you for posting.
I love how you called her IPad her voice, I started tearing up! Watching the vlog from the beginning, you really can see how much Abbie has learned and grown! Your family is amazing! It makes me so happy to see Abbie so happy with life! I absolutely love watching your Vlog, and I always tell my other coworkers at my Elementary School about the Vlog. It has taught me a lot! I also love the process you guys take to teach her a new sign!! You can see her focus and determination to sign donut! Ahhh I’m so in love with this Vlog family❤️😢
The happiest part of my day is seeing Abbie! And when she squash’s her accomplishments I almost get a little tear In my eye I’m so so happy and proud for her! Will always be cheering you on Abbie! If I ever get a chance to build a family of my own one day, I hope it is very similar to the Maass family they all rock!
You've done amazing as parents learning these complex therapeutic techniques to help your daughter learn and grow.
She’s so smart! I love how you said “I love you.” and she signed “I love me.” 😂♥️♥️
Love to see how much abbie has learned it’s crazy she is doing so amazing with having such determination of her parents
You guys are such kind and loving parents. It's so refreshing to watch Abbey being so connected. I love you guys so much!!!
Sandy waiting so patiently for her ice cube 😊
Jennifer Nelson my dog loves ice. She could be across the house and hears someone getting ice she comes flying lol
@@KristineT8 my brother's jack Russell does too
I'm verbal but when I'm upset it can be hard for me to communicate verbally
Me too, i just loose the motivation to speak, or i find it hard to express myself right, and often its both
Same here
Me too
Me too. I most if the time,i cant tell my mum what I want to eat even if I know what I want, so I have to like say it with my mouth closed if u get what I mean? But its strange because I can say other stuff in between, but when it comes to the food i want, i cant say it
Guys u on spectrum? I have similar problem with talking. I mean when I was deppresed i could t speak with my family, but i could with my youngest brother. And it is so weird right? But idk. For example now I am better but also when in worse mood I only whisper to my parents when it is necesary.
God blessed the people taking care of her.
Her biting the doughnut....so cute.
She is an amazing girl.
I would be happy in have a child like her.
I was diagnosed with a mild form of ASD when I was two and a half! Unlike your Abigail, I was already talking but I was doing the echolalia thing! Thankfully I took years of speech therapy until I was 14, and now I’m able to say anything that comes to my mind! I’m sorry that your Abigail still struggles to communicate to this day!
Thanks for making this video. My 5-year-old asked why some people don't speak, and I was able to show him this video. I explained that there are many reasons why people are non-verbal, but many still communicate with signs and communication devices, like what we see Abigail use in this video. Seeing how Abigail uses these tools was so helpful.
13:15 i love how she went for that double high five like “yeh, mum and dad i know i’m great!” 😂🧡
I randomly got recommended this video but I'm glad that I watched. ASD is very complex condition and there is always something new to learn in regards to ASD. Wish you all the best!
The 🍩 is such a fun sign, and to see Abby work so hard and follow directions even with the muscle control being a challenge, she manages to stay on task, not get frustrated!! I was so cheering her on when she did every movement! The speech therapy is fascinating (my gbaby has slight apraxia, I thought it was just babytalk but he already is saying words at age 3 that he thought he was saying correctly) I was going to college to open a school for pre K children with Autism, back in the 80’s but so little was known that I couldn’t find
enough information and quit. I so applaud you’re tenacity at not only keeping your baby girl safe in this world but also wide open to all of the joys in life she can and will experience!! This is such a learning lesson for all of us!❤❤❤thank you for your channel, we ❤you, Abby & family!
“I love me”. Abbie is so sweet and silly 😂
As a future speech-language pathologist this was super cool and informative to watch. Thank you for sharing! 🥰
Abigail is so precious. She's fortunate to have such patient and loving parents!
The girl loves her nature valley bars 🤣
I heard it as "nature belly" haha
General Mills should sponsor them lol
I watch these with my 8 year old and now she's obsessed with NV bars. We'd never had them before!
Looks like you do to you have three chins
They need to send her some!!!
The sign was car you taught her coming back on vacation in a fast food restaurant
Ha, were you saying out loud everytime asa asked too?? 😂
I was just like "car" * does car sign*
"it was car"
"CAR"
"asa it was car" *doesn't sign for car again , but with more force* 😂 ..car..
I was screaming “Car” too lol
I have Autism but I have a little bit of it like I can talk and all I have is like it’s hard for me to read but I’m Getting better but I’m happy and thankful I love you guys and I love her 🥺
I think she got confused when you had her sign “all done” and then “break” she thought she was done practicing signs 😂
My bff also have that, she has a big bracelet where and it has “bathroom, play, hello, help, etc.” I’m glad to be her friend because I love helping people.
I have high functioning autism there is light at the end of the tunnel thank you for spreading awareness much love ❤ I couldn’t talk earlier for a while until I went to concord special school here in Australia 🇦🇺
I have loved watching Abbie! Her progress over the last year is really amazing. She’s a beautiful Star 🌟🤩
Is the excessive signing/scrolling through the signs perhaps a form of her stimming? What a great, calm, and educational channel. Thank you for sharing in a way that is respectful towards your daughter.
this is so amazing. my friend is nonverbal and i sometimes am unable to talk. this video actually showed me some of the signs in some modified sign language that my friend uses so i can understand them even without the use of the ipad she uses. this also helped me so i can find ways to still communicate even when i find that I’m unable to talk, which is rare, but still scary when i can’t talk like i normally would. she seems like an amazing friend to have! :)
You guys are amazing the patience you give her 😭I'm having a tough time with my 4 yr old boy diagnosed with autism. You inspire me to better and I want to thank you for sharing as well 😭😭thank you ❤️
My Grace and your Abby are so similar. I love watching you guys. It helps me expand the activities and learning that we do with my daughter. Thank you!!
This is amazing. Not only do you highlight the reality of autism, you also provide help for parents out there that may feel at a loss! Kudos!😊
Kudos!
I have a non verbal brother, hes 10 now and I'm really interested in how you've taught her these things, we've been trying to teach my brother but nothing has worked, I'd love a comment back
I'm in the same situation as you, but my brothers 9. We're also trying to teach him things. If you have any tips, please pass them on.
@@jessicanyambi3286 I've heard a story of a nonverbal learning to read by being given books she loved...like her mom who adopted her found out her topic interest. That helped her eventually talk too she uses actual words from her mouth.
Speech therapy is the best way to understand how language develops, generally you start with single words with highly motivating consequences. For example, if your brother enjoys candy, giving him candy after every correct communication (picture exchange, iPad use, sign language or verbal approximation depending on skill) will reinforce the response and increase the likelihood of future independent request. Basically you are making it rewarding for communication to occur. It can take a long time depending on the child but don't be discourage, when the association occurs it will open up greater avenues for communication.
@@shereehi5539 lol in that case it's like finding the key to the hidden chest of treasure. That's amazing
@Psychedelic Tunnel whether its effective or not i very much doubt anyone is gonna give there kid lsd lol. It'd be like giving speed to a lazy child. It would work but certainly not the right way to do things haha.
I love this video concept! Your calm voice over with the video clips and the text for the signs...amazing 😊💙🤘🏻
Thanks for posting! My 3yr old nephew is also nonverbal autistic. This will help provide insight to his growth and development. He loves his iPad, too, and we’re all learning how to sign!
Here's a thought: maybe when she's signing "bathroom" after having just gone she's saying "I just went to the bathroom successfully" and (as is the case with being conditioned through a behavior modification system such as ABA) she is expecting a reward of some kind? I noticed that she led Priscilla to what she wanted after having signed "bathroom" which leads me to believe that bathroom in this context might actually be a mand for a reward without actually naming the item she desires. In that line of thinking, she might actually be asking for affirmation for doing a good job by going to the bathroom.
FWIW, my son (who is able to verbalize but still lacks the functionality for using speech conversationally) does something similar with his manding. Like you with Abbie, we have ingrained routines into him through ABA - but they have almost become ritualistic. He knows that if he is refused something highly preferred (such as a drink of water or a shower) he will instead ask to go the bathroom where he will either drink from the faucet or will then go right for the shower instead of using the toilet. Even being verbal doesn't make communication easy, but it instead illustrates his comborbid intellectual disability disorder.
(Not disagreeing with ya or anything)
I would tend to sway with Asa on this, I think Abbie signs 'bathroom' as an attention type behaviour, or more specifically a conversation starter.
because when she does sign it, unnecessarily, she seems to usually get the response similar to "bathroom?" " youve just been to the bathroom" "hey, how about we do this .. ",
so she gets a question back to her- which is nice, some interaction-which is nicer, and a follow up task or treat or conversation.
Win win.
..thats just what I see. But I have zero interaction with autism, and just watch these vlogs. but just a thought
theyve talked about this in other videos as well and she sometimes signs it as a way to get out of doing a activity
cherryvon87 maybe it is just attention seeking - but then that makes it an opportunity for them to confirm not only that she did just use the bathroom but to inquire if she did all the steps - such as asking “did you wash your hands?” That in turn also reinforces hygiene and also affirms that asking for food or drink is therefore appropriate as well as being a reward. That’s not just communication skills, that’s ABA mixed in. Autism parents have to think several steps ahead and also multitask. The object is expand our kids’ perspective as well. Disabled or not, if we gave them something every time they asked they’d never progress in anything other than gaining weight. It works both ways though. At some point these lessons are learned and we don’t realize that our kids are smarter than we’ve given them credit for.
That's the downfall of ABA, you're conditioning a response in a person who doesn't necessarily understand/is capable of accepting exceptions to rules. When you can't grant rewards in a timely manner or you no longer reward a certain behavior (especially if they gain independence in doing certain tasks without you knowing) it's hard to break that response of 'reward?' and it's difficult to explain why the reward won't come this time around.
Can you explain why he'd be denied a drink of water or a shower?
As someone with borderline aspergers aka PDD on ASD spectrum she is sooo cute! I can imagine how frustrating it is to get your needs and wants communicated. I'm sure she probably feels trapped inside her body sometimes. I worked with non verbal ASD students before they seemd to know I was similar to them and opened up to me quickly. Thanks for sharing :)
Beautiful sight... We as a family with Autistic children love this video. Thank you for sharing your memories
I have a daughter with autism. She turned 6 last month. THANKS your vids helps me a lot. Thank you!
Love needs no words.. that's why ❤❤🙏
She is so sweet! ❤ The little smile she gave at 13:27 after her mom said that she loves her and is proud of her is proof that she understands much more than some people might think.
I wonder if she doesn't raise her arms because she thinks that means she's going to get tickled.
I didn’t really like getting tickled as a kid because people take it too far. I don’t really have really seen them tickling her so I don’t know 🤷♀️. I can’t say anything anything about that, because I have no idea.
@@Nan-59 She was being kind of tricked into raising her arms and tickled in a playful way. Not everyone likes being tickled. It wasn't done in a bad intention. It may be part of the learning curve. No harm. And I may be mistaken about it too. I don't think it's a big deal.
Many autistic people including myself dont raise our arms up and like to keep them tight to our body because we have low spacial awareness its hard to sense where parts of our bodies are in space we often have "t rex position" with our arms folded up close to our body and hands resting on our chest its often our default position because of the low spacial awareness and other reasons or just because its most comfortable for us
Beautiful young lady and you’re wonderful parents..she is truly blessed ❤️
I just stumbled across your channel and I’m so impressed both you guys as parents but especially with her! I have a nonverbal low functioning son who just turned 28. He was much more expressive and doing more things throughout his teen years. Slowly, though, he began to digress. Now he rarely communicates at all, at 28 . Like he gets made or upset and starts yelling (roaring, he has a big voice Lol) when he’s hungry or thirsty. I was pretty young when I had him. Knowing what I know now I wish I would’ve pursued treatments, and community resources as well as worked with him one on one. I have to say, you and your daughter have been a blessing to me today. ❤️
I had a friend with trisomy 21 and he had a terrible time with "you" and "I". Abbie doing the pointing to herself reminded me of this. Also, the "literal" thing in autism. If dad says: "you", to her, that means "me".
you “had“ a friend?
Classic maybe that friend passed away :(
@@TheNotmeeeeee No, he is thriving and doing well. He is an adult now. ♥