When Words Are Not Enough, Make Art

Thaddeus was different from other children.

As a young child, he preferred to play alone and did not speak at the age most children normally would. At three, he was diagnosed with autism.

For our family, the diagnosis was unfamiliar territory. We did not know what to do, where to begin, or what the future would look like. For a while, everything seemed to pause. But one thing became clear: Thaddeus was still Thaddeus, and we loved him even more.

Slowly, we learned to accept his differences and place our trust in God. In time, we came to realise that what we initially saw as an imperfection had, in many ways, perfected our family. Thaddeus taught us to see the world differently — to be more patient, more observant, more accepting, and more willing to include everyone.

We began seeking advice, researching autism, and searching for the right schools, centres and therapists. It became a continuous journey of learning — not only for Thaddeus, but for our entire family.

Discovering a Way to Communicate

Thaddeus experienced frequent meltdowns, sometimes lasting several hours. A minor change in plans, something not happening as expected, or an unfamiliar situation could overwhelm him. A simple family outing could quickly become an emotional challenge.

He was highly sensitive to sound. The instruments of a lion dance or fireworks could overwhelm him even when they were far enough away that we could barely hear them. He could become frustrated when people did not follow instructions or when something did not happen as he expected.

Even seemingly ordinary experiences could become difficult.

During a kite-flying outing, he became distressed when the kite fell because he had stopped running. On another occasion, accidentally knocking over his water bottle and spilling the water across the floor triggered a meltdown before we had even left home. Even overhearing a phrase such as “the end of the world” could cause distress.

We had to learn a new set of skills — understanding how to support an autistic child while also teaching him the skills needed to navigate the world around him.

We learned that inclusion did not mean lowering expectations. When Thaddeus did something wrong, we still had to teach him. When he did something right, we praised him. At the same time, we had to understand how his mind worked and find ways to help him gradually adapt.

Thaddeus relied heavily on routines. Any disruption could become overwhelming. So, rather than protecting him from every unexpected situation, we gradually learned to introduce change — intentionally taking him out of his comfort zone so that he could learn to cope with things beyond his control.

We encouraged him to exercise with the family, brought him onto theme park rides, introduced him to new experiences, and celebrated every small breakthrough.

One of our proudest moments came after a period of teaching him how to ride a bicycle: Thaddeus was finally able to ride one successfully.

The Discovery of Drawing

When Thaddeus was around four to five years old, in 2013, we noticed something remarkable.

He started doodling.

More importantly, we noticed that drawing calmed him.

During periods when his meltdowns could last for hours, drawing significantly reduced the amount of time he remained distressed. We began to realise that art was not simply something he enjoyed. It was a way for him to regulate himself, focus his thoughts and communicate.

That discovery changed everything.

In the beginning, his drawings were simple lines. Gradually, the lines became forms, the forms became shapes, and the shapes developed into recognisable animals and prehistoric creatures.

He particularly loved dinosaurs.

We began recording his drawings and observing his development. He worked predominantly with multi-coloured markers, often creating bold blocks of colour. The whiteboard became his favourite medium because it was immediate, accessible and easy to erase.

But that ease of erasing also created another challenge.

If something was not right, Thaddeus would immediately erase it and redraw it. Over time, this became a habit. He found it difficult to accept that a mark could remain imperfect.

So we introduced him to different materials — paper, canvas, fabric, wood and other surfaces where mistakes could not simply be erased.

At first, this frustrated him.

Eventually, he adapted.

Through this process, his strokes became increasingly confident. Unlike many artists who begin with sketches and gradually refine their work, Thaddeus does not sketch. He works directly with confident lines, trusting his instinct as he builds an image.

Every day, we would come home from work to discover another drawing on the whiteboard. His images gradually became more complex, more composed and more expressive.

In 2016, at the age of eight, he completed his first canvas using a black marker: “Dinosaurs’ Planet.”

For us, it was more than a drawing. It was a glimpse into the world inside Thaddeus’ mind.