The Truth About Non-Speaking Autism: What We’ve Been Getting Wrong

What if the child you thought couldn’t understand you had been listening all along?

In this powerful episode of Conquering Your Clown Fish, Betsy Hicks-Russ—mother, advocate, and director of Autism Odyssey—opens up about her journey parenting Joey, a young man with non-speaking autism. For years, she was told Joey couldn’t comprehend the world around him. But everything changed when they discovered spelling to communicate—a method that unlocked Joey’s voice and transformed their entire relationship.

Betsy challenges the narrative that non-speaking means non-thinking. With fierce honesty and vulnerability, she shares how the vest Joey wears in public serves as more than a tool for safety—it’s a call for empathy in a world that too often makes assumptions. She dives into why society still underestimates people like Joey, and why it’s time we stop.

This conversation is a wake-up call to parents, educators, and anyone who’s ever judged what they didn’t understand. It’s also a love letter to the caregivers who keep showing up, even when Plan A fails—and who discover miracles in Plan B.