Zoey has nonverbal autism. She can hear you and I'm pretty positive that she understands you, she is after all still only 3 years old so with her you have 3 year old behavior along with autism...it's really interesting!
I knew fairly early on that Zoey connected to music, it soothes her, she sings, yes she is nonverbal but she sings. I know, I hear all the time "How is she nonverbal but she can sing?"
I had that same question...
And the answer is simple, she's using a different part of her brain, the part of her brain that responds to music and singing and that is how my child communicates. It's fascinating to watch her! I have many videos of her singing, I sing EVERYTHING to her...cleaning up, getting dressed, eating, diaper changes, anything. You name it I have sung it and she responds to it.
Music has helped us tremendously in our life. Carrie Underwood taught her to hum along and bring her to her Zen place. Michael Buble sings to her and she knows that she's okay, she's not Lost. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is her Anthem and she will script it all day long. She is my little star, music runs through her and makes her come alive, I've never seen anything quite like it.
I know with me that if I hear a song it takes me back to a moment in time and I sing along and I feel great. I enjoy it, music is thereaputic and healing.
Having a child with nonverbal autism can be challenging, but Zoey makes it okay, I get her. She is the music, she is communicating by songs. She can take my iPhone and navigate through all of my music and she searches out what she wants to listen to...I'm in awe of her when she does this!
We left a neurologist appointment a few months back and she had my phone and was listening to Michael Buble as we left, the Neurologist says "she has good taste!" I laughed and said "she sure does!"
We've been in the grocery store listening to Mary J Blige's "Therapy" with many onlookers watching my child sit in a cart swaying to "When I can go therapy 2 times a day"
My favorite was yesterday. We met with a new Doctor for the first time and Zoey immediately puts on "Demons" by Imagine Dragons. As we sit there listening to the chorus "it's where my demons hide...it's where my demons hide" I listened to this new Doctor say "I love that song!" I laughed and said "yeah Zoey is really into music, it's her thing."
This Doctor started swaying back and forth as we are discussing Zoey's new plan of action and the Doctor stopped talking to me and was singing along with Zoey and said "she makes me wanna dance!"
Okay...out of ALL the reactions to Zoey blasting her music, that by far is my favorite. We finished our appointment, walked out to the front desk to set up a follow up in 3 weeks, and the Doctor followed up front, stood behind her staff and said "Do you hear her, did she play her music for you?"
Zoey was sitting in her stroller listening to "you are my sunshine" and I was a proud Mama because my child with nonverbal autism had communicated by way of music and made someone's day!
