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Adulting with AutismAuthor: April Ratchford MS OT/L
ADULTING WITH AUTISM A movement for neurodivergent adults, created by autistic occupational therapist April Ratchford, OTR/L. Adulting with Autism is a global community for autistic and ADHD adults navigating independence, relationships, college life, careers, emotional regulation, and real-world executive-function challenges. With over 2.7 million downloads, April blends lived experience, clinical insight, and honest conversation to guide neurodivergent adults into their next chapter of growth. Each episode brings practical tools, mental-health strategies, autistic storytelling, and real talk about boundaries, burnout, sensory needs, finances, friendships, and the messy parts of becoming an independent adult. Featuring leading experts in autism, mental health, neuroscience, accessibility, and creative industries along with deeply human stories from autistic adults around the world. If you're a late-diagnosed autistic adult, a college student trying to survive executive-function chaos, or a neurodivergent person trying to build a life that actually fits you are in the right place. Hosted by: April Ratchford, OTR/L autistic occupational therapist, autism advocate, author, and executive contributor to Brainz Magazine. Language: en Genres: Education, Health & Fitness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Communication Is More Than Speech: AAC, Confidence & Carryover with Luba Patlakh
Episode 373
Wednesday, 4 November, 2026
A smile. A wave. A sign. A tap on an AAC device. A full sentence. All of it is communication. In this episode of Adulting with Autism, I talk with Luba Patlakh, a speech-language pathologist and the founder of Kidology, a pediatric early intervention and private therapy clinic. Luba is also the author of the children's book Bobo Wears a Bowtie, a story about courage and confidence inspired by her late mother. We discuss the difference between a communication difference and a delay, what sensory overload can look like when someone stops responding, and why every person deserves functional communication, whether that means speech, sign, gestures, or AAC. We also cover when to trust your gut about an evaluation, why skills need to carry over from the therapy room into home and community life, how parents can stop answering for their kids, and what families can start putting in place as their child moves toward adulthood. This conversation is for parents, caregivers, clinicians, and autistic adults thinking about what communication support should actually look like. In This Episode, We Cover How Luba went from broadcast journalism to speech-language pathology. Starting a private practice, and serving a Russian-speaking community. What communication success looks like beyond clear speech and vocabulary. Nonverbal communication, sign language, and AAC. Telling apart a cultural or dialect difference from a delay. Why screening and evaluation come before setting goals. The story behind Bobo Wears a Bowtie and her mother's influence. Encouraging someone without pushing too far. Meeting a person where they are before building confidence. How sensory overload can affect communication, including shutdown. Luba's view of ABA and the debate around it. When a family's concerns justify an evaluation. Airway, breathing, and myofunctional therapy. Why speech therapy is meant to end once skills are met. Parent carryover and tracking practice at home. Making sure nonverbal teens and adults have reliable ways to communicate. Planning ahead for the transition to adulthood: coordinators, state programs, and support teams. Reducing pressure around therapy goals. What to do when a child talks at home but not in sessions, or the reverse. Scaling goals back so a teen can actually succeed. Questions to ask before choosing a provider. About the Guest Luba Patlakh is a speech-language pathologist and the founder of Kidology, a pediatric early intervention and private therapy clinic serving clients from birth to age 21. She came to the United States as an immigrant, provides services in Russian, and previously worked in broadcasting, marketing, and publishing. She is the author of Bobo Wears a Bowtie, a children's book about confidence, courage, and self-belief. Find Luba: Instagram: @lubapatlakh Website: lubapatlakh.com (links to Kidology, Bobo, and her other projects) Bobo: bobowearsabowtie.com Book: available on Amazon, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble LinkedIn: Luba Patlakh Key Takeaways Communication includes speech, gestures, sign, writing, drawing, and AAC. A language difference is not the same as a delay. Not answering can be a sign of overload, not defiance. Everyone deserves a dependable way to express needs, discomfort, and choices. If something seems off, asking for an evaluation is reasonable. Skills are useful when they carry over into daily life, not only the therapy room. Encouragement works best when it is specific, light, and in the moment. Goals should be set so the person can succeed. Scaling back is not failing. Planning for adulthood includes building a support team beyond the parents.
