Dear Son With Autism, Keep Making Your Happy Noises

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“Last night, you were upstairs with your brother. It was long past your bedtime…which for Sawyer isn’t strange.

That kid would stay up all night long. But not you typically. You have an internal alarm that tells you when it’s 9 p.m. and it’s game over.

Up to bed you go with 7 blankets and a pile of treasures so high it takes you two trips up the stairs. But last night was different for some reason.

I heard your sounds first. Laughing. Squeals. Little screams. Hums. Giggles.

You are always making sounds. Never quiet. Rarely talking. Just communicating in your own way.

And then I heard your brother say…‘You are happy Cooper. I hear you happy.’

It was such a sweet thing to say. The way it was worded.

‘I hear you happy.’

I could also hear that Cars was on, your favorite movie. A movie Sawyer no longer cares about. But you run the television and I assume he wanted to sit with you and ignore his bedtime.

As the minutes went on, I wasn’t sure how he could even hear the television over your happy sounds. But he must not have cared.

Sometimes I worry someone will tease you someday, or even tease your brother, over your sounds. Strangers may not love them like we do. Maybe they will fear them or be annoyed by your noises.

They won’t understand that pure joy sounds different to every person and most will never experience it like you do.

When I went upstairs to tell you both to get your cute butts to bed, you didn’t pay much attention to me. You were busy.

But Sawyer, he looked right at me and said…‘Mama, do you hear how happy he is? It’s great, right?’

Keep making sounds kid. Laugh. Giggle. Hum. Squeal. Never stop. No matter what. Just keep being you.

And if someone does say something…I’m pretty sure this one will take care of it.”

boy hugging brother with autism
Courtesy of KT Swenson

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by KT Swenson of Finding Cooper’s Voice. You can follow Finding Cooper’s Voice on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.

Read more from KT here:

Before I Understood My Son’s Autism

‘Cooper, it’s mom’s birthday today!’ My son looked back down. It stung. Then he pointed to his iPad.’: Autism mom in tears after son nonverbally wishes her happy birthday

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