A five-year-old with autism speaks for the first time and his sense of pride is awe-inspiring

Photo byvia Haley McGuire / TikTok

About a quarter of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who do not speak are considered to be nonverbal. Although this figure appears to be significant, it has actually seen a significant decrease compared to a few decades back, when the proportion was almost as high as 50%.

This favorable change is attributed to a rise in research on ASD, leading to improved treatment methods. Kids with ASD frequently lack verbal communication, yet a significant number develop language abilities. Between 70% and 90% of these children who initially couldn't speak become capable of speaking in full sentences or using basic phrases.

Raising a child who cannot speak or has difficulty with speech is incredibly frustrating because you long for them to be able to clearly convey their emotions and physical sensations.

It's also challenging to watch them play with other kids, unable to fully express who they are like their peers.

Therefore, when a child with autism spectrum disorder achieves their first ability to speak, it's a significant milestone for both the child and their loved ones.

Photographer Haley McGuire documented her son Micah's incredible breakthrough on TikTok, and the motivational video has been liked more than 730,000 times.

The initial video she posted featured Micah correctly saying the names of his family members as they cheered from the sidelines. Each time Micah got a name right, he jumped with joy and radiated unadulterated pride.

Ever since the video was initially captured, Micah has demonstrated no indication of decelerating his advancement.

"It's been a day and a half now, and everything we ask him to say, he's copying," McGuire told Newsweek.

"He's not going out of his way to say anything on his own, but he's literally copying everything we say, which is crazy because he wasn't talking at all," McGuire continued. "Every now and then, he'd blurt out a word. But when I say 'wasn't talking,' he would go weeks without saying anything. This is crazy. He's been doing great."

The videos have touched many hearts on the internet and have served as a beacon of hope for the McGuire family. However, perhaps the most remarkable aspect of these videos is that they also offer encouragement to the families of children with autism spectrum disorders, particularly those who eagerly await the moment they can hear their child utter their first words.