When someone can't speak, we shouldn't assume they can't think

A few years ago, I attended a disability advocacy event where a young autistic man sat quietly for most of the afternoon. He didn't speak, didn't make eye contact, and seemed completely disconnected from the discussions happening around him. To be honest, I assumed he wasn't following the conversation. Looking back, that assumption says more about me than it did about him. Later, during a question-and-answer session, he used a communication device to share his thoughts. What came out wasn't a few simple words. It was a thoughtful response about independence, relationships, and how frustrating it was when people assumed he didn't understand what was happening around him. That experience stayed with me. One thing I've learned is that autism, communication ability, and intellectual disability are not always the same thing. Sometimes they occur together. Sometimes they don't. In discussions about profound autism, people often talk about support needs, communication barriers, and intellectual disability in the same conversation. That's understandable because many individuals with profound autism do have significant cognitive challenges and require lifelong support. At the same time, there are autistic individuals who are non-speaking and understand far more than people expect. Others may have both severe communication impairments and intellectual disability. Both realities exist, and neither should be ignored. That's why assumptions can be dangerous. If someone cannot speak, it doesn't automatically mean they have nothing to say. If someone needs extensive support, it doesn't mean they lack dignity, preferences, emotions, or awareness. For families and caregivers, one of the biggest challenges is figuring out how a person communicates and what support helps them express themselves most effectively. The more we learn about autism, the more it becomes clear that outward behavior doesn't always reveal what's happening inside. Sometimes the person everyone assumes isn't listening is paying attention to far more than anyone realizes. And sometimes the greatest act of support is taking the time to understand the individual in front of us rather than assuming we already know their limits.