In this conversation, David Kaufer shares his journey as aspecial needs parent, focusing on the challenges and triumphs of raising his son, Stone, who was a non-speaking autistic teen when David got support to start a new approach to help Stone to communicate more easily. He discusses howmotor skills were found to be critical in helping Stone’s communication abilities advance quickly.

The discussion highlights the importance of hope, thediscovery of effective communication methodologies, and the systemic biases faced by families in the special needs community. David emphasizes the joy and lessons learned from his son, encouraging other parents to remain hopeful and connected.

Chapters

00:00 Finding Hope in Darkness

06:01 The Journey of Communication

11:05 Unspoken Connections

15:42 The Power of Advocacy

20:49 Breaking Barriers in Education

32:26 The Journey to Education and Self-Discovery

35:40 Breaking Down Barriers: Communication and Understanding

37:43 Challenging Assumptions: The Power of IndividualPotential

40:09 Creative Expression: Unleashing Hidden Talents

43:07 Navigating Medical Challenges: The Importance ofAdvocacy

45:34 Exploring New Therapies: Hope for the Future

50:35 Living with Seizures: The Ongoing Battle

54:26 Words of Wisdom: Encouragement for Special NeedsParents

About the podcast guest:

David Kaufer is a writer, speaker, and advocate—and mostimportantly, the proud father of 19-year-old twin boys, including his non-speaking autistic son, Stone. He says his journey with Stone has transformed how he sees communication, connection, and what it truly means to be understood.

Through David’s work at KDMC Marketing and his podcast The Lighter Side of the Spectrum, David helps families, educators, and healthcare providers reimagine neurodiversity and unlock new tools for support—especiallythrough AI and nontraditional communication methods.

Check out this free resource from David: it is one of hismost personal blog posts—about how spelling changed everything for his son and what it revealed about the brilliance inside: https://davidkaufer.com/2023/01/31/stone-found-his-voice-through-spelling/

Connect with David on his website at https://davidkaufer.com and on Instagram/Facebookat the handle @DavidKaufer

Tune in to The Lighter Side of the Spectrum podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-david-kaufer-podcast-the-lighter-side-of-the-spectrum/id1779167029

About the podcast host:

Dr. Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon is a speaker, coach,special needs parent, podcaster, author, and strategy lecturer. She runs the Special Needs Parent Podcast because she aims to help special needs parents feel valued, connected, and supported. Please subscribe, and send in your requests about topics you'd like the podcast to address.

Get your free copy of Marcia’s Trigger Mapping Worksheethere, to help you recognize patterns that lead to your child’s meltdowns, and develop approaches that could calm the storm: https://marcianb.com/free-trigger-mapping-worksheet-org/

Join the Special Needs Parent Space (her free community,including many supportive resources) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/specialneedsparentspace⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠