Charlie’s Story

Her voice was always there.

Charlie is autistic and has ADHD and childhood apraxia of speech. She can use AAC to communicate and a C-Pen to access printed words. Speaking or reading may be difficult—especially when she is overwhelmed—but difficulty communicating never means she has nothing to say.

She loves goalies and hockey, baseball, racing, family, patterns, details and remembering special moments. A goalie mask helped her feel safer in loud arenas. A wave, tap on the glass or fist bump showed her family how powerful a small act of kindness can become.

Children are not problems to solve. Barriers are.