Bond Beyond Words : The Unspoken Conversations

I have read many books on autism - written by therapists, educators, researchers, parents, autistic individuals etc.They all have helped me in my understanding of autism.This book has a unique style and presents new perspectives unlike any other.What I absolutely loved about this book:1) The conversations between Ritu and Akshat are warm, relaxed and affectionate. Every one of them reflect the bond between them and how much Akshat trusts his mother and hence freely shares his thoughts and fears.2) Ritu demonstrates how using declarative statements invite Akshat to open up and share more!3) All the conversations have the date when they happened. This told me how Akshat's answers (and what Ritu asks him) have evolved with time. It also shows how he has different thoughts about the same thing at different times - a classical autistic trait.4) The entire section on Sensory Revelations was eye-opening. What Akshat shared helped me understand my kid much better. The explanations Ritu offered at the end of each conversation in this section shows how well she understands her son beyond the words he typed!5) I loved all the references to Bollywood songs and how Ritu asked Akshat about what these songs mean to him. All his answers are deep and insightful.6) The teenager talking to his mother about romance, attraction to girls showed the ease with which he can tell her what he feels - this is so vital in teen years to find the parent trustworthy!7) I was amazed at how Akshat sought Ritu's advice when he did not know what to do. So never forced her thoughts on him saying - Akshat, let me teach you how to build your social skills or adapt to new situations. Ritu always allowed Akshat to tell her what he thinks first and then asked how he would work on himself. Only when he explicitly asked her for help did she offer him tips and techniques.Even then she mentioned that he could take his time and do what he thinks works best - that's how much she trusts him!8) Loved Ritu's determination! Everytime she hit a wall and Akshat's progress was stalled, she looked for support and updated her knowledge, learned new skills to help her son. On the other hand, Akshat hugely benefitted from a mother who would not just give up.9) Please write an entire book on Theory of Mind. Loved the illustrations and Ritu's approach. Similarly the sections on Mindfulness are so deep that I will surely revisit them from time to time.10) After a while, these conversations seemed like any other conversations between a teen and his mother. I almost forgot that Akshat had any delays in communication. Goes to show the tremendous efforts from both of them towards developing communication skills!!Ritu, it is true - hum sabke andar ek Himalaya hai I am very sure you both will scale it together and when you reach the summit hoist a flag of hope, courage and love for the rest of the world to see and follow!!I highly recommend this book to parents, autistic individuals and anyone wanting to learn about autism as experienced by an autistic.

This is not only a regular book of experiences but it is a systematic guide for parent/caregiver of an autistic child. I found each and every chapter of book very useful and informative.It is a genuine sharing a mother’s experience, 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to work patiently for getting inner voice of Akshat, but I do know that Ritu did it with a skill, only a talented mother like herself possibly could. With a realistic delivery packed with emotion, this book is a portrayal of the difficulties face by mother and an autistic adult every single day.This Book is extension beyond the standard curriculum with the greatest ease of use for the parents/caregivers.I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to guide his/her child, because of following reasons which I felt encourages a reader: -• The language of the book is very simple, so it can be easily understood.• This book is a journey from zero to reaching the top, a complete evolution of expression.• It is a guide that can help a parent to start from scratch and gradually progress systematically.• In many places I felt very much connected to incidences and emotions being parent of an autistic child.• Akshat deep feeling and thoughts impressed me a lot.• Ritu’s positive approach and perseverance are worthy of praise.Many-many congratulations to Ritu and Akshat.

This book is amazingly well put together. It provides a simple yet powerful insight into the way an autistic child thinks and responds to different circumstances. A must read for everyone. The format used is a simple conversational tone which makes it quite refreshing from other books.

This book is a delightful and emotional rollercoaster in the life of a non verbal autism mom. The journey of Akshay from being a frustrated non verbal kid to an author and poet with such profound insights for the world and people around , it's astonishing. This book not only teaches us to presume competence in your kid but also gives a wonderful hope to new parents who often think will their child ever talk . Sky is the limit for them. We just need to provide the wings . 5 stars