Dr. Sharon Gainforth* | NeuroAI Team

Three years ago, I lost my father—a fun, kind, and loving man whose presence still fills the spaces he once sat in. Although I have so many cherished memories of Dad, this particular one highlights the many faces of true communication.

We were sitting side by side in two comfy chairs in the hallway of his care home. There weren’t many words spoken between us, but there was so much being. We held hands. We shared silly grins, exchanged winks, nodded in rhythm to our own unspoken language. A few soft chuckles passed between us, and we both knew what we were saying—without having to say a word.

After a few quiet, beautiful hours, I headed home. I felt full. Loved. Connected.

Later that day, when my dad spoke to my mom, he said, “I had a lovely visit with Sharon!”

At first, I was surprised. We hadn’t really talked. But then it hit me—of course it was a lovely visit. Because in those quiet moments, we communicated everything that mattered. We were present, attuned, and together. That was the conversation.

That visit has stayed with me because it reminded me of something profound: communication is so much more than verbal words. It’s about presence. Eye contact. Gentle gestures. Comfortable silence. A smile. A glance. A shared moment.

This is something I think about often when supporting families of children with autism.

Many children on the autism spectrum don’t always use words to communicate—but that doesn’t mean they aren’t speaking. Their gaze, their gestures, their body language, their movements—and yes, even their tears—are full of meaning. A brief look can say, I see you. A hand tug might mean, Come with me. A repetitive motion may be their way of finding comfort or sharing joy.

As parents, caregivers, and professionals, it’s up to us to slow down and listen with more than our ears. We need to tune in to the whole child, learning to recognize and respond to all the beautiful, varied ways they reach out to connect.

Because just like the quiet visit I had with my dad, some of the deepest conversations happen in the spaces between words.

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* Dr. Sharon Gainforth is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over 35 years of expertise as a subject matter expert on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is also the Chief Business Development Officer, Chief Content Officer and Co-Founder of NeuroAI.