Autism Changemakers Podcast

Autism Dad Support: Why Fathers of Non-Speaking Kids Need Community Too | Dr. Jonathan Chism, Autism Dads Social Club

If you're a dad of a non-speaking autistic child who's been quietly carrying this alone — or a mom who wishes the dad in your child's life had more support — this episode is for you.  I invited Dr. Jonathan Chism, co-founder and president of the Autism Dads Social Club, to come on the Autism Changemakers Podcast and talk about something deeply underserved in our world: the experience of fathers. Jonathan is a professor of history at the University of Houston, an ordained minister, and a dad to a non-speaking son. He built the Autism Dads Social Club from scratch because dads are out there carrying so much — and not raising their hands for help.  In this episode we talk about:  * Why the "strong man myth" keeps dads from asking for help, and why Jonathan built his community around socializing first — not therapy, just showing up together. * What double isolation really looks like when you're already parenting a non-speaking child and COVID takes away the last connection you had. * How finding purpose beyond your own household is what finally breaks the grip of isolation. * What I know from my own son's life — that an engaged dad changes everything, and why dads need to hear that their presence matters more than they realize. You don't have to have it figured out to show up. That's the whole point.   Connect with Jonathan and the Autism Dads Social Club at autismdadssocialclub.org [https://autismdadssocialclub.org/] or on Instagram @autismdadshtown [https://www.instagram.com/autismdadshtown] If this resonated, come find me on Instagram @sara.intonato [https://www.instagram.com/sara.intonato/]or learn more about Autism Changemakers at autismchangemakers.com [https://www.autismchangemakers.com/]   Autism Changemakers is a private community just for parents of nonspeaking kids. It's where you don't have to explain yourself, and where you'll always be surrounded by people who believe in your child's brilliance. Come join us.    Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536313/support]

The Magic Bullet for Non-Speaking Autism Progress? It's Consistency

If you've ever asked another autism parent — what's the one thing that made the biggest difference for your child? — this episode is my honest answer.  People ask me all the time: Sara, what's the thing that transformed Rocco's journey? What's the magic bullet?  And I tell them: consistency.  Sometimes they're relieved. Sometimes they're disappointed. Because we live in a world of Amazon Prime mentality — where we expect results fast, and when they don't come, we quietly start to wonder if we should just stop.  But consistency looks like nothing is changing — until suddenly, everything is different.  In this episode I talk about:  * Why consistency is the most transformative thing I've done for Rocco — across diet, supplements, the letterboard, and everything in between * Why our instant gratification culture makes it harder than ever to stay the course * The hidden subconscious reason we give up before things take root * What you actually need to give yourself to stay consistent long enough to see real progress * My own adult tantrum moment two weeks into tracking my macros — and what happened when I kept going anyway If you've been close to giving up on something that matters — the letterboard, a supplement protocol, your own self-care — this episode will remind you why you started.   If this resonated, come find me on Instagram @sara.intonato [https://www.instagram.com/sara.intonato/] or learn more about Autism Changemakers at autismchangemakers.com. [https://www.autismchangemakers.com/] Autism Changemakers is a private community just for parents of nonspeaking kids. It's where you don't have to explain yourself, and where you'll always be surrounded by people who believe in your child's brilliance. Come join us. autismchangemakers.com [https://www.autismchangemakers.com/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536313/support]

Non-Speaking Autism Parents: Stuck Between the System and Self-Trust

If you're parenting a non-speaking autistic child, there's a space you might be in right now that almost nobody is talking about.  You don't trust the system anymore. You've seen the gaps. You've watched experts underestimate your child and hand you a piece of paper that looks nothing like the child you know.  But you haven't fully stepped into trusting yourself yet either.  So you get stuck in a loop. You feel a deep knowing — and then you hesitate. You look for someone to confirm it. You get mixed answers. And you come back to your original gut feeling, but less confident than before.  That loop is exhausting. And it's keeping you dependent on a system that was never designed specifically for your child.  In this solo episode I talk about:  * Why this in-between space happens — and why it's not your fault * How autism parents are conditioned to defer to experts even when their gut says otherwise * Why your proximity to your child is not bias — it's data * What it actually looks like to trust yourself from a grounded, anchored place You don't need more proof of who your child is. You need more permission to trust what you're already seeing.   If this resonated, come find me on Instagram @sara.intonato [https://www.instagram.com/sara.intonato/] or learn more about Autism Changemakers at autismchangemakers.com [https://www.autismchangemakers.com/].   Autism Changemakers is a private community just for parents of nonspeaking kids. It's where you don't have to explain yourself, and where you'll always be surrounded by people who believe in your child's brilliance. Come join us. autismchangemakers.com Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536313/support]

Non-Speaking Autism and First Words: A Letterboard Breakthrough Story

If you're parenting a non-speaking autistic child and your letterboard journey feels messy and nothing like the polished videos you see on social media — this episode is for you.  Jennifer Kenny, an Autism Changemakers member and mom to 15-year-old Sarah, joined me just one week after something extraordinary happened: Sarah spelled her very first open-ended sentence. After years of doubt, detours, and messy sessions.  This is that conversation — raw, honest, and mom-to-mom.  In this episode we talk about:  * What happened the day Sarah spelled her first sentence — and what Jennifer felt in that moment * Why the spelling journey is never a straight line, and why that's completely normal * How sensory differences impact communication and why there's no one-size-fits-all approach * Why what your child absorbs matters just as much as what they can spell out loud * How your co-regulation as a parent directly impacts your child's ability to communicate If you've ever doubted yourself or wondered if your child would ever find their voice — this episode will remind you to keep going.   The path is nonlinear. The voice is there.   If this resonated, come find me on Instagram @sara.intonato [https://www.instagram.com/sara.intonato/] or learn more about Autism Changemakers at autismchangemakers.com. [https://www.autismchangemakers.com/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536313/support]

The Hardest Moment of My Autism Parenting Life — And How I Got Through It

If you're parenting a non-speaking autistic child and you've ever looked at someone else's life and thought — how are they okay when I'm barely holding it together — this episode is for you.  I recorded this one because of a conversation I had with one of my Autism Changemakers members. She's in a really hard season right now, and she asked me something that stopped me in my tracks: Sara, can you share the hardest things you've ever been through with Rocco? Because I just need to hear from someone who made it to the other side.  And I realized — she had no idea. Because from the outside, life looks pretty great right now. And it is. But it didn't start here.  A couple of summers ago, Rocco had a parasite that changed everything about him. His sleep, his moods, his anxiety, his behavior. It was like my child wasn't my child. I was soaking wet on the bathroom floor, dealing with a level of aggression I had never seen from him — terrified, exhausted, and spiraling into the thought of what if this is forever.  I didn't share it in real time. I needed to process it myself first. And I fiercely protected Rocco's dignity while we were in the thick of it.  But I'm sharing it now — because you deserve to know this isn't a highlight reel.  In this episode I talk about:  * What happened during Rocco's parasite episode and why it changed his behavior almost overnight * Why "that's just autism" is one of the most dangerous things we say to parents of non-speaking kids * How I cared for myself during one of the scariest seasons of our lives — and why that made all the difference * Why hard moments don't pass by themselves, and what actually helps them shift * The silver lining that came out of all of it: Rocco's very first open sentence on the letterboard Hard seasons don't have to be forever. But they don't pass on their own either. They pass when you're willing to look deeper — at your child's body, their behavior, their communication. And you can only do that when you have energy to spare.   That energy comes from taking care of yourself. Not perfectly. Consistently.   If this resonated, come find me on Instagram @sara.intonato [https://www.instagram.com/sara.intonato/] or learn more about Autism Changemakers at autismchangemakers.com [http://autismchangemakers.com].   Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536313/support]