Sept. 17, 2026

Spell to Communicate: Our First Sessions With Wyatt | Episode 109

Show Notes

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.

This week, Kailee and I are sharing something that has brought a lot of hope into our home: Wyatt’s first few sessions with Spell to Communicate. As parents of a non-speaking autistic child, we have spent years learning how much communication can exist without words, but the possibility that Wyatt may someday be able to spell, type, or text what is on his mind feels incredibly powerful. I’m talking about what we saw in those first sessions, the way his teacher gives clear direction instead of constantly saying “no,” and what this process is teaching me about patience, autism parenting, and letting go of made-up timelines. I do not know whether open communication takes months or years, but I believe there is real opportunity here, and I’m choosing to trust the process, trust God’s path, and keep showing up one session at a time.

Key Takeaways

I’m learning that progress does not have to follow a timeline I create in my head. Maybe Wyatt spells eight words this week, maybe he spells one. What matters is continuing to give him the opportunity.
Kailee and I watched Wyatt spell several words with assistance during only his second session, and seeing him settle in, focus, and engage gave us a tremendous amount of hope.
I was struck by how his teacher gives him specific directions instead of constantly telling him “no.” That challenged me to think differently about how often we tell our kids what not to do instead of showing them what to do.
This process is helping us see some of Wyatt’s motor-planning challenges differently, including how full-body apraxia can affect movements that might look simple from the outside.
My biggest hope is not that Wyatt communicates in one particular way. I want him to have the opportunity to tell us what he thinks, feels, likes, dislikes, wants, and needs, whether that eventually happens through spelling, typing, texting, pointing, or something else.

If something in our journey connects with your family, I’d love to hear from you. Visit spectrumincamouflage.com for more from the podcast, and you can always email me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com with your questions, experiences, or just to connect.