Not sure about my own life but my first granddaughter, who has autism with marked impairment, was nonverbal for about 4 years. Almost no words. Nothing. Her expressions were from various moans, such as when I'd have her on my arm when she was two, she'd stroke downward on my chest with both hands, about 30 strokes per minute pace, while moaning in time. This is when my daughter/her mom and I thought we needed answers...and got 'em. After her 4th birthday, she became a Chatty Cathy! And she still is...she's wonderfully expressive, a bit scattered...but I love her no matter what. She's a consummate artist now at age 13.
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"Potatoes are what we eat!" --quote from movie Deathstalker and the Warriors from He** (a'la MST3K)