Spectrum in Camouflage

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.So much is going well for our family right now, from Wyatt's progress with spelling to communicate to the work I'm doing, but I still catch myself feeling frustrated, comparing our lives to other families, and wondering why some things have to be so hard. I want to be real about that side of autism parenting, because being productive, having faith, and loving my kids...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.Tonight, Kailee is back with me, and we're talking about something that's brought fresh hope into our home: Wyatt's first several weeks of Spelling to Communicate. I've watched Kailee pour so much into helping our son, and hearing about the words he's beginning to spell, even on the tough days, reminds me why we keep looking for ways to help him express himself. We're...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.This week, I want to talk honestly about one of the hardest and most controversial questions many parents in the autism community wrestle with: what factors may be affecting our children's health, development, and future, and are we willing to keep asking questions even when the answers are uncomfortable? I'm looking at claims surrounding a...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.Today, I’m sitting down with Tyler Hudson for part two of a conversation about autism parenting, advocacy, grief, and what it looks like to keep asking hard questions without losing our compassion for people who see things differently. We also get into some controversial questions around vaccine safety, research, and autism causation, not because I think every family...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.In this episode, I’m sitting down with Tyler Hudson for some real dad talk about communication, grief, hope, and what it means to keep showing up when autism parenting feels like a long road with no clear timeline. We talk about the progress our sons are making through spelling, the fear that comes with trying one more thing after so many disappointments, and why I’m...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.This week, Kailee and I are sharing something that has brought a lot of hope into our home: Wyatt’s first few sessions with Spell to Communicate. As parents of a non-speaking autistic child, we have spent years learning how much communication can exist without words, but the possibility that Wyatt may someday be able to spell, type, or text what is on his mind feels...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.This week, I’m talking about hope, progress, and some of the hard questions I keep asking as a dad raising a son with profound autism. A simple moment with Wyatt and a chip full of salsa reminded me that the little wins in autism parenting can actually be monumental, especially when you’ve spent years working, worrying, and wondering what the future might hold. I also...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.This week, Kailee and I are looking back on a summer that felt like a real gift to our family, from quiet afternoons at home to a first Cedar Point trip with Jessie that reminded me how valuable time together really is. We also talk honestly about one of the hardest parts of autism parenting: accepting that sometimes our family cannot do everything together, while...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.Time keeps moving faster, and as a parent, I find myself thinking more about whether I’m spending enough time with my kids, working too much, or doing enough to prepare for their future. Those questions can get even heavier with autism parenting and special needs parenting because I know some of our children may need support long after we’re gone, and that...

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.There is a lot happening right now around childhood vaccines, autism, and the role parents have in making medical decisions for their kids, and for me, this conversation is deeply personal. I'm sharing why the possibility of changes to federal vaccine recommendations and the MMR schedule hits me so hard after watching my son experience a dramatic regression in his...