Reflecting on her years working with autistic children, Mary explores what it means to communicate on a natural and spiritual level. Just as autistic children struggle to communicate for basic needs, all of us struggle to open ourselves to communication with the Lord. -Editor.

I have spent much of the past seven years working with children who have autism. Through my work I have learned a great deal about what autism is and how it affects the people who have it and their families. One very interesting idea is how to teach a child the purpose of communication. Before we can learn to point, sign, use picture communication or talk – each person has to come to the conclusion that they are interested in something and that communicating about this with others will be useful and perhaps enjoyable. This happened for most of us long before we can remember. But for some of the children with autism with whom I work, that connection hasn’t formed. As therapists we set up the environment in a way that requires communication to get desired items. I know very well that Joe wants his lunch when he sits in his chair or begins to cry and yell. But he needs to communicate with me before I will give it to him. For a nonverbal child, who has no means of communication, we have a second therapist sit behind him, form his hand into a point or a sign and also model the words as he makes the gesture. We do this over and over again until he begins to do it independently. Sometimes he also begins to imitate the words and is then able to make verbal requests as well. Does this mean he understands the purpose of communication?