communication
that grows
Plain-language notes on autism, communication development and neurodiversity-affirming support for families, educators and curious professionals.
Speech Sprout turns research and clinical concepts into parent-friendly explanations. The focus is practical, gentle and evidence-informed: helping adults understand what children may be communicating through gestures, play, sensory preferences, echolalia and behaviour.
blog topics
A first set of article directions for Speech Sprout. Each topic is written to meet parents where they are, without turning children into checklists.
why this blog exists
Exploring communication development through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, and why this space lets go of the idea that children need to be "fixed."
one idea: monotropism
Why your child gets lost in one thing, why switching is so hard, why the supermarket ends in tears. One idea from autistic researchers explains almost all of it.
reduced joint attention
The words that show up in almost every autism report. Here's what they actually mean, and what they miss.
your child is already talking
Long before first words, your child is communicating through gestures. Here's how to see it, and why it matters.
big feelings, small vocabulary
Most tantrums aren't about the cup. They're communication, and you can learn to translate them.
is my child behind?
The stages every child moves through, from first sounds to full sentences, and why it's all about communication, not just words.
your child's first communication system
Communication does not begin with speech. Long before words, your child is already communicating, and it's the easiest thing in the world to miss.
sensory processing and communication
Communication does not happen separately from the body.
more than one way to be human
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week: a wider look at the many ways a brain can be.
sensory processing differences in autism
A core feature of autism, and one of the most overlooked.
autism and play
Play differences in autism are often noticed early, but rarely understood well.
what is echolalia?
Why some autistic children repeat words or phrases, and why that repetition is so often misunderstood.
speech delay vs autism
What's the difference? A child who is late to talk is not necessarily autistic.
early signs of autism in communication
The ones that are often missed, many appear before speech even begins.
identity-first language
Why I say "autistic child", not "person with autism", and why that choice signals a whole framework for practice.
the language we use around autism
The words we choose shape how we see autistic people, a closer look at framing, respect and everyday language.
what readers can expect
Posts are written for clarity first: short explanations, low-jargon framing and practical examples families can use in everyday routines.
let's talk communication
speech sprout