‘We equate verbal fluency with intelligence’: why Angie Kim wrote a novel about a non-speaking autistic boy | Society books
Almost two decades ago, I went to a medical conference to learn about treatment options for my son’s ulcerative colitis. His doctor described an incident involving a non-speaking autistic teenage patient, who everyone assumed couldn’t understand anything. His parents were mystified and frustrated because his repetitive behaviours, including screaming and hitting his head against the wall, were out of control. As they were telling the doctor that his teachers were sure this was a purely behavioural issue, the boy grabbed…