If a stranger cannot understand your child's speech, they're considered "nonverbal". A person can make vocalizations and is considered nonverbal. Mikko is def brilliant and and wired/processes things differently. So much potential, Mikko! Your fans are here for all of it! ✨️💜✨️
I can't believe she liked this comment. I would never call my child nonverbal just because a stranger couldn't understand them. Wtf?? This is NOT TRUE. EDIT: For all those who want to copy and paste the definition of the word nonverbal, it's pointless. Mikko is understood by myself and other strangers. If you and mom wanna say you don't understand her and that she's nonverbal, do it then. But there's no way you can convince me that Mikko is nonverbal. This child speaks, and most of her words are understandable. SHE'S VERBAL.
@@wendystephan35 Crazy because I didn't mention Mikko one time in my comment lol. I definitely didn't mention "Milo", whoever tf that is😂 But even if I did, AND??? My point still remains. I would never label my child nonverbal just because a stranger didn't understand them. That's just dumb. What's even crazier is that in Mikko's case, I feel like strangers are understanding her words more than mom does, but that's neither here nor there.
@@mj4lu5hffgNon-verbal is a term used to describe a specific level of communication. If you don’t like that term and prefer a different one, that is fair. But this is the one in current use, so this is how people will describe it in order to understand each other. It doesn’t change the reality of Mikko’s current level of communication, and it doesn’t mean they’re using the wrong word to describe her level of communication.
My child didn't speak the first 4 years of his life. He never even babbled. They thought he was deaf or mute. Then literally one day, he started having a whole conversation with me. He wanted to take pictures with his camera. He's 8 years old now and boy, he is THRIVING! I'm excited to watch him grow everyday. He's truly my treasure ❤️ Never be so quick to label anybody. They could pleasantly surprise you!
Same thing happen to my brother and my nephew, we had them tested, nothing was founded. They both started talking at 4. You couldn't shut them up after that. It was music to our ears tho!
Was looking to see who else believes this is what she said..she did use the adjective and said purple flower . That is my take and I’m sticking to it 😊. Later she said pizza right here.
Yessss! That’s what I heard too! A purple flower. She reminds me of the phase in children where no-one can understand what they’re saying except their Mom and to their Mom, what they are saying is as clear as day!
My grandson sounded just like Mikko at the same age. His parents took him to speech therapy for pre-schoolers through the public school system in Texas. He is now 13 yrs. old and still takes some therapy through the school system, but his speach is almost perfect. He also has ADHD diagnosis with his Austistic diagnosis. His parents are very involved in his educational support. He also is high-functioning with a 4.0 grade point average now finishing the 7th grade in Texas public schools. Also, he is an active member of the school's tennis team, chess club and robotics club. I'm sending this to you to encourage you and to re-enforce the wonderful support that you are giving Mikko. Your child is extremely intelligent and is blessed to have wonderful parents who understand and support her as she develops her potential.
My son spoke very similar to Miko he started speaking just before 4 and he’s now 8 and he’s able to speak full sentences. You’re doing great with communication and she will be speaking sentences before you know it. Great Job momma bear 🥰
I'm one of the people that said "Mikko is NOT nonverbal'. I apologize if I crossed a line. I know absolutely nothing about autism but I got so excited seeing her progress. Using words and saying the alphabet and colors etc etc. Again I do apologize❤
Thanks for willing to grow and learn about how important some of the labels are. It's not a technicality and it's not to put her into a category to limit her, but more to expand her options and give her room to grow❤️
Oh Sheila, reading this truly made my day! Good on you for giving yourself the grace to learn and grow. Even better, talking about it. It is so valuable to have an open conversation about getting a deeper understanding on issues and adjusting our position, consequently. It is NOT the end of the world to be wrong. Allow yourself to feel disappointed for a bit, and even regretful, but don't allow shame to overtake the process of learning about the world around you. Keep doing what you're doing - honestly, it's the best we can all do. Live and learn :)
I’ve been chastised because I say *I’m autistic* vs I have autism. Always people not on the spectrum, they try to take away my own diagnosis & struggles. Because it’s not like “I have a cold”. It’s all of me. Forever.
It brings tears to my eyes to see how well Mikko is thriving. She’s very smart. Mom, you’re doing a great job with her being so patient and gentle. You are blessed to have each other. ✝️ 💕
Mom, I am too old to be jumping up and down!!!! This is so beautiful, I am absolutely on top of the worldl!!! Keep going Miko. Verbal or non-verbal, you've captured my heart.
My 3 year old son is nonverbal and on the spectrum. He does say colors and the alphabet and shapes and thank you but I have a hard time understanding him otherwise. Thank you for sharing your journey and being transparent. ❤ praying for you and your beautiful family ❤
She definitely said "purple flower"! I heard it and thought to myself, "Wow... She didn't just say flower. She said PURPLE FLOWER!" Good job big girl. 🤗
I can't imagine how satisfying it must feel for Mikko to get to be heard!!!! I'm almost 37 and I don't really remember my communication struggles when I was a toddler but I'm very much aware of the meltdowns I'll still have when I feel I'm not able to communicate my needs/those around me don't understand me. It can be a very traumatic experience. It must be such a relief for her to feel confident in the efficiency of her communication. I am so happy for y'all. I'm not a professional in the field, so I'm not going to speculate on "just you wait, in X amount of days, she'll be doing Y" but I see SO MUCH of tiny me in her, and I recognize the confidence building of "I said something and you understood what I meant."
Oh my gosh! My heart is so full watching her progress! Blessings to this sweet baby girl and her family for being so loving and patient with her. May she continue to progress and articulate in Jesus' name!
My 5 yrd old autistic son will wait by the oven until his pizza gets done. My son can now say his alphabet and numbers. Still working on colors. She is doing a great job. Great work parents!
Hey precious, let me just start out by saying how nice you hair and skin look. Naturally radiant. It looks like all the effort you all put in is paying off. She is becoming clearer and clearer. Please don't be phased or discouraged by any negative comments as the work you are doing and the willing to share your life with the world is life changing. My children are all you adults and I did not know much about autism. You have shown me the humanity and an approach where a family is invested that progress while challenging is possible. Love me some Mikko.
At the risk of sounding condescending Precious you did the best job explaining non verbal...your work with her is very obvious and beautiful to see...never change ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤with so much live and respect for your entire family as always❤
It's always good to see Mikko. She is a smart and adorable little girl. Precious, you do an amazing job with Mikko. I continue to pray for the family including the twins and dad too. I'm glad that dad got the pizza out of the oven. I'll bet Mikko was smelling it and she is obviously going to enjoy it.
You addressed all the “stop saying she’s non-verbal” comments with Grace! I admire your approach to educate and advocate. What you are doing is not easy but you are doing so much good for Mikko and for your subscribers. Lots of love!
Thank you for sharing Mikko with us. I love to watch her growth in development. You and your husband are excellent parents. Keep up the good work, and know you all are making a difference in many people lives.
Oh my goodness I love this! I'm also noticing how she looks at you for your reaction when she identifies the animals. That's huge! God bless this sweet family!
NonVerbal - a. being other than verbal; b. involving minimal use of language; c. ranking low in verbal skill. Verbal - a. of relating to or consisting with words; of relating to or involving words; spoken rather than written. Well there is however a difference between non verbal and non speaking. The terms non-speaking and non-verbal may sound identical to many people. But there is a different and important distinction which is vital for us to consider with people with autism. The term "verbal" has been defined to describe when a person understands and uses words, any words, in any way. So, "verbal" includes using spoken words. But it also includes situations in which words are written or signed or typed or pointed to even. The term "speaking" means using words we form with our mouths and utter out loud. One important aspect of the definition of "verbal" is that it includes an understanding of both receptive words (ones we hear, read) and the production of words in any manner (ones we speak, sign, write, point to). People are typically never completely non-verbal, as this would mean that they have no understanding of any words whatsoever, such as their name ("Mikko") or a word they commonly hear ("snack" or "shirt"). It would be almost impossible for kids, teens, or adults to have no receptive language whatsoever, even receptively. So, when it comes to autism, let's be precise in how we use our words to describe their language skills. The reason that the term "non-verbal" is quite frowned upon and even considered unacceptable today is because autistic people who might be labelled "non-verbal" actually typically have receptive language. The term "non-speaking" is a simple term which means a person does not form and utter mouth words. But THEY MAY communicate with words in a myriad of other ways. As children with autism grow and develop, we should always step back and consider the development of communication to be far more important than the development of spoken words. Speaking may come in time - and it may not. But imagine the frustration with not being able to communicate needs, wants, emotions, and frustrations. Just because someone is not speaking it doesn’t mean they lack understanding or the ability to communicate. This is where alternative communication methods come in like signing, the Picture Exchange Communication System or digital communication devices. Every person’s comprehension and communication will be different. So to the person who commented on Mikko being now "verbal" . Please consider that when someone is described as nonverbal (whether the child or adult has autism or other disability), it has been sadly assumed by many that this person has no ability to formulate sentences, responses, opinions, or any thoughts at all. It’s for this reason that in my opinion, non-speaking is a more accurate description of a person who cannot communicate effectively with oral speech. I suppose what it boils down to at the end of the day is sensitivity, etiquette and respect.
I get so excited to see her progress! I'm in tears. Thank you for being an excellent and understanding Mom. I wish mine had been. Much love to you, Precious!😘
I've seen adults that never got past this point in terms of verbal communication. It was very hit or miss. But I've also seen people who couldn't verbalize this much having full blown philosophical discussions in other ways. She's in there. She's self aware and aware of what's around her and she'll find her own way. Edited to add: Thanks for explaining what non verbal means.
Stephen Camarata, professor of hearing and speech sciences at Vanderbilt University, says “ *nonverbal* would be defined as people with no words, *minimally verbal* would be from 1 to 50 words, and *low verbal* would be children who are significantly below normative levels on speech and language tests but have more than 50 words.” It’s hard to find a strict guideline for the differences in word count, but this was the best I could find. It seems like a gray area, but Mikko is definitely making a ton of progress. Go mom & Mikko!
Shes very SMART and shes alert,Every child develops and communicates differently....She is a gem and she does TALK alot and is communicative so be proud of yourself for bringing this little flower into this world...
Thank you Precious. I genuinely appreciate you making this video. My partner and I are both autistic. Our son is two and non verbal. We are waiting on assessment but as both of us are ASD, we believe he is too. It means alot that you teach so much to everyone about Mikko and NV-ASD. 💜 You give her another way to communicate by being her voice when she can't find hers. Thank you for that!
Thank you for providing information on how you know the differences between her making babbling sounds and her trying to communicate by repeating the same sounds and explaining what non verbal means.
Mom, Mikko’s progress of any kind has a major part to do with your commitment and patience. I pray your strength as you both continue to move forward. Thanks for sharing the journey with us.
She is coming along fine. It's a process and it takes time and patience. You and Chris keep up the good work 💪👍. God keep you and your family covered. Let's go Mikko 🎉🐥👏🤗🫵
Thank you for educating us on the meaning of "non-verbal" I myself thought it meant not being able to communicate thru words. Mikko is making wonderful strides in her communication ❤🙏🏽🙌🏾
Great job mom...i'm glad you are able to tune into Mikko's World...consider yourself lucky to be a stay at home mom...if you are... I have heard that an Autistic child is in another dimension and is hard to reach but you went in and found your little girl and you are going to guide her out and bring her into this world where you are.....Good Luck...don't let he regress back into her safety zone...keep an eye out, keep a hold of her hand.
I am LITERALLY CRYING like a proud AUNTIE!! Just got in from work. So precious!! Look how much she's grown. I remember my son didn't start talking until he was almost 4. Now him and his sisters won't stop talking 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰🥰🤗🤗🤗🤗
Former preschool teacher here. I think she is saying way more things than you can perceive. Is she eligible for speech therapy? A trained speech therapist has a lot of experience gleaning meaning from pronunciation and prosody like hers. She’s making great progress, exciting to watch 😃
She seems to know lot more words than she's actually able to say, speach therapy from an expert would be amazing for her. Even if she has difficulties with understanding language and using words right. Speach therapy really helped me as a child with autism.
She's improved her word skills so much! Also in her babbling, there are words you can catch and that's fantastic. Her confidence is contagious too. You're a rockstar of a mother and having your children exactly how they are was your calling in life. If there is a God, he knew you could handle it and be the best you could be. All of your familes fans are extremely proud and rooting for all of you ❤ A purple flower ❤ so good!
Good work momma! Way to acknowledge her words even when they arent always understood. So happy to be able to hear her little voice. My newphew loops a lot to practice the word hes working on. May I suggest you let her keep her learning toys all the time? My newphew practices words a lot on his own when he has activity table or abc bus. When i hear this- I let him play/ practice then I join him and try to lock it down a little. We practice blowing with bubbles, a whistle like mikos and also a lot of dandelions in the wish stage. Thank you for sharing your journey ❤
Mom, you have so much to be proud for. I have watched Mikko's progress and it has been amazing. What a great job you both have done. It takes so much patience and clearly you have it in droves.
I believe MIKKO speaking problem is from the thumb sucking, thumb sucking causes the roof of the mouth to develop out of its normal shape & which makes the tongue & teeth hard to make correct pronunciations & hard for her to communicate the words correctly
If a stranger cannot understand your child's speech, they're considered "nonverbal". A person can make vocalizations and is considered nonverbal. Mikko is def brilliant and and wired/processes things differently. So much potential, Mikko! Your fans are here for all of it! ✨️💜✨️
Oh ok that makes better sense.
I can't believe she liked this comment. I would never call my child nonverbal just because a stranger couldn't understand them. Wtf?? This is NOT TRUE.
EDIT: For all those who want to copy and paste the definition of the word nonverbal, it's pointless. Mikko is understood by myself and other strangers. If you and mom wanna say you don't understand her and that she's nonverbal, do it then. But there's no way you can convince me that Mikko is nonverbal. This child speaks, and most of her words are understandable. SHE'S VERBAL.
The fact you would use WTF while talking about Milo says it all.
@@wendystephan35 Crazy because I didn't mention Mikko one time in my comment lol. I definitely didn't mention "Milo", whoever tf that is😂 But even if I did, AND??? My point still remains. I would never label my child nonverbal just because a stranger didn't understand them. That's just dumb. What's even crazier is that in Mikko's case, I feel like strangers are understanding her words more than mom does, but that's neither here nor there.
@@mj4lu5hffgNon-verbal is a term used to describe a specific level of communication. If you don’t like that term and prefer a different one, that is fair. But this is the one in current use, so this is how people will describe it in order to understand each other.
It doesn’t change the reality of Mikko’s current level of communication, and it doesn’t mean they’re using the wrong word to describe her level of communication.
My child didn't speak the first 4 years of his life. He never even babbled. They thought he was deaf or mute. Then literally one day, he started having a whole conversation with me. He wanted to take pictures with his camera. He's 8 years old now and boy, he is THRIVING! I'm excited to watch him grow everyday. He's truly my treasure ❤️ Never be so quick to label anybody. They could pleasantly surprise you!
I am so happy to hear this. It gives hope to so many. Thanks for sharing
yes great inspiration that is needed it's great to know that there is always hope ❤
This gives me so much hope for my non verbal almost 5 year old as well
❤
Thanks so much for sharing!!
Same thing happen to my brother and my nephew, we had them tested, nothing was founded. They both started talking at 4. You couldn't shut them up after that. It was music to our ears tho!
She said "a purple flower" she's doing great. You go Mikko.
Was looking to see who else believes this is what she said..she did use the adjective and said purple flower . That is my take and I’m sticking to it 😊. Later she said pizza right here.
She did in fact say a purple flower lol, Go Mikko!
Yes, that's exactly what I heard as well: "A purple flower."
She did
Yessss! That’s what I heard too! A purple flower. She reminds me of the phase in children where no-one can understand what they’re saying except their Mom and to their Mom, what they are saying is as clear as day!
I'm certain she'll be saying full sentences in a couple of months. She's so intelligent. We love you Mikko. Keep soaring! ❤
even if she chose not to speak that reflects very little about her intelligence
I love that she just won’t stop babbling now that she is more confident with her words, so cute! Go Mikko, you’re making so much progress! ❤
Shes not babbling 🙄
She is a really smart little girl, and her Mom is doing a tremendous job of teaching. I applaud both. Mikko, you rock sweet girl.
Truly ❤
Awwww look how far she has come …great job Mom..Dad…Sister and Brother because it takes the entire family to make it work ..proud of you all
May God bless them all and you, Mikko really has come so far ❤
My grandson sounded just like Mikko at the same age. His parents took him to speech therapy for pre-schoolers through the public school system in Texas. He is now 13 yrs. old and still takes some therapy through the school system, but his speach is almost perfect. He also has ADHD diagnosis with his Austistic diagnosis. His parents are very involved in his educational support. He also is high-functioning with a 4.0 grade point average now finishing the 7th grade in Texas public schools. Also, he is an active member of the school's tennis team, chess club and robotics club. I'm sending this to you to encourage you and to re-enforce the wonderful support that you are giving Mikko. Your child is extremely intelligent and is blessed to have wonderful parents who understand and support her as she develops her potential.
I had speech therapy in elementary school for years no one could understand me. I also sucked my thumb. Singing songs helped a bunch.
That’s so nice of you
What age he start talking
You are doing an amazing job, Mom. She is thriving and communicating. Bless you all.
I love Mikko identifying with the little girl in the book. Sometimes ASD children can struggle to grasp others emotional state. But she got it! ❤❤❤
My son spoke very similar to Miko he started speaking just before 4 and he’s now 8 and he’s able to speak full sentences. You’re doing great with communication and she will be speaking sentences before you know it. Great Job momma bear 🥰
She said "a purple flower"....awe this makes me so happy... Great Job MIKKO💜
She absolutely did!💕
Loved her identifying with the girl in the book! So sweet😊
I'm one of the people that said "Mikko is NOT nonverbal'. I apologize if I crossed a line. I know absolutely nothing about autism but I got so excited seeing her progress. Using words and saying the alphabet and colors etc etc. Again I do apologize❤
Thanks for willing to grow and learn about how important some of the labels are. It's not a technicality and it's not to put her into a category to limit her, but more to expand her options and give her room to grow❤️
It shows that you didn't mean to hurt! And super mature to be able to accept and apologize!! As a neurodivergent person myself it makes my heart warm
Oh Sheila, reading this truly made my day!
Good on you for giving yourself the grace to learn and grow. Even better, talking about it.
It is so valuable to have an open conversation about getting a deeper understanding on issues and adjusting our position, consequently.
It is NOT the end of the world to be wrong. Allow yourself to feel disappointed for a bit, and even regretful, but don't allow shame to overtake the process of learning about the world around you.
Keep doing what you're doing - honestly, it's the best we can all do. Live and learn :)
I honestly thought i heard her say ' a purple flower' Great job Mikko!
Me too
That’s what I heard
Same
I heard that too.
She did
I can tell mikko is getting the hang of her colors and animals!
Thank you for spreading awareness on what non-verbal actually means!
I’ve been chastised because I say *I’m autistic* vs I have autism. Always people not on the spectrum, they try to take away my own diagnosis & struggles. Because it’s not like “I have a cold”. It’s all of me. Forever.
I think saying autistic explains it well too, because you are autistic, it's part of you and always will be.
It brings tears to my eyes to see how well Mikko is thriving. She’s very smart. Mom, you’re doing a great job with her being so patient and gentle. You are blessed to have each other. ✝️ 💕
Mom, I am too old to be jumping up and down!!!! This is so beautiful, I am absolutely on top of the worldl!!! Keep going Miko. Verbal or non-verbal, you've captured my heart.
My 3 year old son is nonverbal and on the spectrum. He does say colors and the alphabet and shapes and thank you but I have a hard time understanding him otherwise. Thank you for sharing your journey and being transparent. ❤ praying for you and your beautiful family ❤
I love Mikko's display of emotions, and identifying with what she sees in her book. That was amazing. Good job, mom and dad❤❤❤❤
Mikko is very smart and has shown a strong desire to communicate with you. Watching her progress has given me so much hope. Thanks
She seems so eager and excited to learn and show her progress. Terrific! 💐
Little Mikko has such a warming personality. I love the way she re-creates the emotions of the characters and herself.
"pizza ready" she's so intelligent
That's what I heard too.
She definitely said "purple flower"! I heard it and thought to myself, "Wow... She didn't just say flower. She said PURPLE FLOWER!"
Good job big girl. 🤗
Yes. She definitely said, “A Purple Flower”.
Yup, was coming to say just that!
CLEARLY heard "Purple Flower"
I can't imagine how satisfying it must feel for Mikko to get to be heard!!!!
I'm almost 37 and I don't really remember my communication struggles when I was a toddler but I'm very much aware of the meltdowns I'll still have when I feel I'm not able to communicate my needs/those around me don't understand me. It can be a very traumatic experience.
It must be such a relief for her to feel confident in the efficiency of her communication. I am so happy for y'all.
I'm not a professional in the field, so I'm not going to speculate on "just you wait, in X amount of days, she'll be doing Y" but I see SO MUCH of tiny me in her, and I recognize the confidence building of "I said something and you understood what I meant."
Oh my gosh! My heart is so full watching her progress! Blessings to this sweet baby girl and her family for being so loving and patient with her. May she continue to progress and articulate in Jesus' name!
My 5 yrd old autistic son will wait by the oven until his pizza gets done. My son can now say his alphabet and numbers. Still working on colors. She is doing a great job. Great work parents!
I agree mom is doing a great job..
Hey precious, let me just start out by saying how nice you hair and skin look. Naturally radiant. It looks like all the effort you all put in is paying off. She is becoming clearer and clearer. Please don't be phased or discouraged by any negative comments as the work you are doing and the willing to share your life with the world is life changing. My children are all you adults and I did not know much about autism. You have shown me the humanity and an approach where a family is invested that progress while challenging is possible. Love me some Mikko.
Thank you so much for sharing , I am raising my 3 yr old grandson. Learning so much from you.
At the risk of sounding condescending Precious you did the best job explaining non verbal...your work with her is very obvious and beautiful to see...never change ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤with so much live and respect for your entire family as always❤
It's always good to see Mikko. She is a smart and adorable little girl. Precious, you do an amazing job with Mikko. I continue to pray for the family including the twins and dad too. I'm glad that dad got the pizza out of the oven. I'll bet Mikko was smelling it and she is obviously going to enjoy it.
Educate them precious, continue loving on Miiko she's a blessing. She will get there by God's grace ❤🇯🇲
You addressed all the “stop saying she’s non-verbal” comments with Grace! I admire your approach to educate and advocate. What you are doing is not easy but you are doing so much good for Mikko and for your subscribers. Lots of love!
Amazing Precious! You are doing such a phenomenal job! Miko is thriving with developing her language skills. 👏🏽👏🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
Mikko is so awesome! I absolutely love her! Keep up the great work Precious! ❤
Absolutely Precious, Mommy !!! ❤ 😊
She is such a doll😊❤ Awesome job Mikko👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
“Purple Flower” yay Mikko. She’s growing so much and making good progress. Keep working with her momma. You’re doing amazing.
Looking at your videos gives me so much hope for my son. Thank you for sharing, Precious❤
At 5 my son had 33 words in his vocabulary. He's 20 now not only does he talk, he won't shut up. I'm glad he talks insesisently
Good job beautiful baby. With your love and patience she will get there.😇
She's amazing!!!❤❤❤ Great job mom!
Mikko WILL LEARN TO TALK JUST LIKE YOU DO. PRAISE THE LORD!! ALL GLORY TO GOD 😊❤❤❤
She’s going to surprise everybody ❤️✨💯👑
Completely agree
Oh my God, Lord you are so goooood. Well done baby girl😢😭❤.
Thank you for sharing Mikko with us. I love to watch her growth in development. You and your husband are excellent parents. Keep up the good work, and know you all are making a difference in many people lives.
Oh my goodness I love this! I'm also noticing how she looks at you for your reaction when she identifies the animals. That's huge! God bless this sweet family!
💛Aww I love to hear her lil voice. So proud of her
You are a great mother...LOVE you both...praying for your family.
NonVerbal - a. being other than verbal; b. involving minimal use of language; c. ranking low in verbal skill.
Verbal - a. of relating to or consisting with words; of relating to or involving words; spoken rather than written.
Well there is however a difference between non verbal and non speaking. The terms non-speaking and non-verbal may sound identical to many people. But there is a different and important distinction which is vital for us to consider with people with autism.
The term "verbal" has been defined to describe when a person understands and uses words, any words, in any way. So, "verbal" includes using spoken words. But it also includes situations in which words are written or signed or typed or pointed to even.
The term "speaking" means using words we form with our mouths and utter out loud.
One important aspect of the definition of "verbal" is that it includes an understanding of both receptive words (ones we hear, read) and the production of words in any manner (ones we speak, sign, write, point to).
People are typically never completely non-verbal, as this would mean that they have no understanding of any words whatsoever, such as their name ("Mikko") or a word they commonly hear ("snack" or "shirt"). It would be almost impossible for kids, teens, or adults to have no receptive language whatsoever, even receptively.
So, when it comes to autism, let's be precise in how we use our words to describe their language skills. The reason that the term "non-verbal" is quite frowned upon and even considered unacceptable today is because autistic people who might be labelled "non-verbal" actually typically have receptive language.
The term "non-speaking" is a simple term which means a person does not form and utter mouth words. But THEY MAY communicate with words in a myriad of other ways.
As children with autism grow and develop, we should always step back and consider the development of communication to be far more important than the development of spoken words. Speaking may come in time - and it may not. But imagine the frustration with not being able to communicate needs, wants, emotions, and frustrations.
Just because someone is not speaking it doesn’t mean they lack understanding or the ability to communicate. This is where alternative communication methods come in like signing, the Picture Exchange Communication System or digital communication devices. Every person’s comprehension and communication will be different.
So to the person who commented on Mikko being now "verbal" . Please consider that when someone is described as nonverbal (whether the child or adult has autism or other disability), it has been sadly assumed by many that this person has no ability to formulate sentences, responses, opinions, or any thoughts at all. It’s for this reason that in my opinion, non-speaking is a more accurate description of a person who cannot communicate effectively with oral speech. I suppose what it boils down to at the end of the day is sensitivity, etiquette and respect.
Yes!!! All of this!!! 💖💖💖
This
I get so excited to see her progress! I'm in tears. Thank you for being an excellent and understanding Mom. I wish mine had been. Much love to you, Precious!😘
I've seen adults that never got past this point in terms of verbal communication. It was very hit or miss. But I've also seen people who couldn't verbalize this much having full blown philosophical discussions in other ways. She's in there. She's self aware and aware of what's around her and she'll find her own way.
Edited to add: Thanks for explaining what non verbal means.
BTW Your hair looks great! The silk press is 🔥🔥🔥
Stephen Camarata, professor of hearing and speech sciences at Vanderbilt University, says “ *nonverbal* would be defined as people with no words, *minimally verbal* would be from 1 to 50 words, and *low verbal* would be children who are significantly below normative levels on speech and language tests but have more than 50 words.”
It’s hard to find a strict guideline for the differences in word count, but this was the best I could find. It seems like a gray area, but Mikko is definitely making a ton of progress. Go mom & Mikko!
MIKO MAKES MY DAY!!!
I'M SO PROUD OF HER PROGRESS AND PRECIOUS YOU HAVE AND ARE DOING A FABULOUS JOB AS A MOM AND TEACHER!! ❤❤
Sounded like a purple flower.
Shes very SMART and shes alert,Every child develops and communicates differently....She is a gem and she does TALK alot and is communicative so be proud of yourself for bringing this little flower into this world...
You know I love this beautiful girl she melts my heart 💜
Thank you Precious. I genuinely appreciate you making this video. My partner and I are both autistic. Our son is two and non verbal. We are waiting on assessment but as both of us are ASD, we believe he is too. It means alot that you teach so much to everyone about Mikko and NV-ASD. 💜 You give her another way to communicate by being her voice when she can't find hers. Thank you for that!
Great comment😃
Thank you for providing information on how you know the differences between her making babbling sounds and her trying to communicate by repeating the same sounds and explaining what non verbal means.
It's truly wonderful to see Mikko so HAPPY !!! 😊
I thought she said a purple flower however she’s doing a lot better ❤thanks for being so patient it definitely helps others alot
Mom, Mikko’s progress of any kind has a major part to do with your commitment and patience. I pray your strength as you both continue to move forward. Thanks for sharing the journey with us.
Oh wow mama the diligence and hard work is showing up.. she is doing amazingly well ❤
She is coming along fine. It's a process and it takes time and patience. You and Chris keep up the good work 💪👍. God keep you and your family covered. Let's go Mikko 🎉🐥👏🤗🫵
Such a darling little girl ❤️🥰. Her vocal communication is truly improving. Such a blessing to watch
Her appropriate response of “thank you” when you said “bless you” caught me completely off guard! Way to go, Mikko!!
Wow saying her colours has improved heaps
Thank you for educating us on the meaning of "non-verbal" I myself thought it meant not being able to communicate thru words. Mikko is making wonderful strides in her communication ❤🙏🏽🙌🏾
Great job mom...i'm glad you are able to tune into Mikko's World...consider yourself lucky to be a stay at home mom...if you are...
I have heard that an Autistic child is in another dimension and is hard to reach but you went in and found your little girl and you are going to guide her out and bring her into this world where you are.....Good Luck...don't let he regress back into her safety zone...keep an eye out, keep a hold of her hand.
Miko's progress fills my heart, so I can imagine how you feel! God bless your family...
Mikkos making so much progress 🙌. Way to go guys
Mikko is so adorable and it's so beautiful to see how far she is progressing.❤❤❤ her reactions to the emotions book is to much
I am so proud of Mikko's progress keep up of the good work 👏
Blessings on this arising for you and yours, Alwys ❤️. Gm Mikko n Precious. Thks for sharing her day in progress. Stay healthy and safe 🙏 ❤❤❤❤❤
You are a wonderful mother!😍 keep the great work with Mikko she is doing better and better ❤💗💗
I am LITERALLY CRYING like a proud AUNTIE!! Just got in from work. So precious!! Look how much she's grown. I remember my son didn't start talking until he was almost 4. Now him and his sisters won't stop talking 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰🥰🤗🤗🤗🤗
Former preschool teacher here. I think she is saying way more things than you can perceive. Is she eligible for speech therapy? A trained speech therapist has a lot of experience gleaning meaning from pronunciation and prosody like hers. She’s making great progress, exciting to watch 😃
She seems to know lot more words than she's actually able to say, speach therapy from an expert would be amazing for her. Even if she has difficulties with understanding language and using words right. Speach therapy really helped me as a child with autism.
She's improved her word skills so much! Also in her babbling, there are words you can catch and that's fantastic. Her confidence is contagious too. You're a rockstar of a mother and having your children exactly how they are was your calling in life. If there is a God, he knew you could handle it and be the best you could be. All of your familes fans are extremely proud and rooting for all of you ❤
A purple flower ❤ so good!
Beautiful Lil One 💖Your Progress is Fabulous Never Give Up🌹❤️🌹
I need help building emotional intelligence with my daughter. I think you’re doing an amazing job
Good work momma! Way to acknowledge her words even when they arent always understood.
So happy to be able to hear her little voice.
My newphew loops a lot to practice the word hes working on.
May I suggest you let her keep her learning toys all the time? My newphew practices words a lot on his own when he has activity table or abc bus.
When i hear this- I let him play/ practice then I join him and try to lock it down a little.
We practice blowing with bubbles, a whistle like mikos and also a lot of dandelions in the wish stage.
Thank you for sharing your journey ❤
You are teaching me EVERY video and I am excited to learn and watch Mikko thrive. Thanks momma you are AMAZING!!!!
Great job Mikko!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🎉
She has come such a long way. She makes me smile with pride, because she is a shining example for all things are possible.
I call you a Warrior Mom! I love seeing how far she has come. Mikko will continue to grow and get better everyday. Blessings to you and yours ❤🙏
Mom, you have so much to be proud for. I have watched Mikko's progress and it has been amazing. What a great job you both have done. It takes so much patience and clearly you have it in droves.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣I just love her "Mork & Mindy language " ❤❤❤
I've been watching on and off and am very happy to hear her using words. You are wonderful parents. Thank you for sharing her progress with us. ❤
Smart babygirl! ❤
This has me in tears. Good job Mikko. I love her little voice. ❤❤❤
Well done Mikko
I've been watching you and Mikko for a long time grow together. You are all doing a wonderful job and I'm happy she has a loving patient circle.
I swear she said "Pizza right here". Clear as a bell.
My god... she’s so adorable. I have watched her grow. She’s amazing!
You’re doing amazing….. autism mom here. Literally amazing .
It sounds like she was saying a purple flower. Great job sweetheart 🤗🥰💕💕💕
I believe MIKKO speaking problem is from the thumb sucking, thumb sucking causes the roof of the mouth to develop out of its normal shape & which makes the tongue & teeth hard to make correct pronunciations & hard for her to communicate the words correctly
❤❤❤❤Super Job she’s doing and so proud of her. Nikki is having a wonderful time