A New Milestone

Juhd is turning 4 this year and just in case you didn't know, he has Autism and is currently non-verbal. Today we had a breakthrough moment at the playground. As a child with autism, it is extremely difficult for Juhd to understand simple concepts and instructions, including facial expressions or gestures. Unlike neurotypical children, Juhd does not imitate what his parents/people around him do, which is an very important skill to have(like eye contact) in order to develop good communication skills.

Today after trying for a long time, he actually started imitating one of the many things I've been teaching him which is counting using his fingers. The very fact that I got his attention(focus) and that he managed to imitate the hand gestures was a huge accomplishment. I know this sounds so normal for other parents, but to me it was a breakthrough moment. I burst into tears right after recording this. Only God knows how happy I was for him that day. As a mother, to see your child make progress is one the best feelings in the world, truly no words can explain except all praises to Allah. <3

xoxo