This South Florida PBS video follows the Melo family as they describe raising Felipe, a non-verbal autistic child. The family explains that being non-verbal affects far more than speech: Felipe could not easily express frustration, needs, pain or distress, which was deeply painful and difficult for his mother in the early years.

The family says progress was limited at first, but between ages five and ten Felipe began to make larger gains, especially in the two years before filming. Through ABA and speech therapy, he moved from being unable to say simple words such as "I" to using short requests such as "I want iPad" or "I want apple." Therapy also helped him point to pain, show why he was angry, sad or frustrated, and learn self-control, resistance and acceptance of frustration.

The video also reflects on uncertainty. A specialist warned that Felipe might gain some or a lot of speech but could regress at any time, so the family stopped relying on fixed expectations for the future. Instead, they focus on daily effort and helping him be the best he can be each day.