Deena Nathan's five year old son Hayden is autistic and non-speaking, and he's fluent on his AAC device. In this episode she walks through a day that starts with therapy at 8am, the win she's still not over, and the one thing she wants people to understand about a kid who doesn't talk.She's also honest about something most people won't say out loud. She has real support, good family, friends who get it, and it's still lonely. Both of those things are true at once, and that might be the most useful thing in this conversation.What you'll hearAbout the guestDeena Fierstein Nathan is a Certified Life Coach at DFN Connected Growth Coaching, where she works with parents of kids with unique needs. She lives in the North Shore suburbs of Chicago with her husband Kevin and their two kids. She stopped working when Hayden was diagnosed and went all in, including taking classes with his AAC device company so she could use it with him.Website: dfnconnectedgrowth.comInstagram: @connectedgrowthwithdeenaSponsorsThis episode is sponsored. Mightier is a biofeedback emotional regulation program for kids developed at Boston Children's Hospital. Use code theautismdad22 for 10% off at theautismdad.com/mightier-review.Best Part Kids is a sensory-friendly multivitamin for selective eaters created by dietitian Brittyn Coleman. Use code THEAUTISMDAD for 10% off at BestPartKids.com.About your hostRob Gorski is the founder of The Autism Dad. His book, So Your Child Was Just Diagnosed with Autism, is out December 29 2026. theautismdad.com/book