What does autism level one actually look like when you strip away the label and just live it? In this episode of Seen and Heard, Justin Bowman, autism dad and founder of VizyPlan, gives us a 15-minute glimpse into daily life with his son Sawyer, who is turning six and diagnosed autism level one. Sawyer is the kid his school calls the mayor. He walks down the hallway wanting to say hi to everyone. He is bubbly, funny, deeply loving, and at this point holds full conversations with his family, which is a massive milestone when you consider that he was completely nonverbal until almost two years old.
But as Justin makes clear, the label does not tell the whole story. Sawyer has fine motor, cognitive, and receptive delays. He has a follower mentality that makes him easy to manipulate and that worries his parents deeply. He is so self-aware that he will avoid things he does not feel adequate at, sometimes turning a smiley face assignment into a tornado mid-drawing because he does not want anyone to judge him. He carries a full alphabet soup of providers, including a BCBA, OT, speech therapy, counseling, and school-based supports. And all of that coexists with the same happy, infectious kid who makes everyone around him laugh.
Justin also says something in this episode that reframed the whole conversation: being seen and heard in the autism community is not a level playing field. Zip code matters. Access to resources matters. Not every state is as accommodating as others. Not every family has what Justin and his wife Danielle have been able to access. And until the community reckons with that honestly, we are leaving a lot of families behind.
What You Will Hear
Sawyer's journey from nonverbal to conversational in under three years
Why his follower mentality is both his biggest strength and his parents' biggest worry
The full support team keeping Sawyer thriving inside and outside of school
Why self-awareness in an autistic child can be both remarkable and heartbreaking
What autism level one really looks like when the diagnosis label does not tell the whole story
Why comparison is the thief of joy in the autism community
Why being seen and heard is not equal for every autism family regardless of diagnosis level
About the Guest
Justin Bowman is the founder and CEO of VizyPlan, a visual routine and planning app built for the neurodivergent community, and Associate Director of Product Management at Chewy. He is an autism dad based in central Massachusetts with his wife Danielle, a speech-language pathologist, and their two children, Sawyer, who is turning six and diagnosed autism level one, and Peyton, who is four.
About Your Host
Rob Gorski is the founder of The Autism Dad, a blog and podcast dedicated to supporting parents raising kids on the autism spectrum. As a dad of three autistic sons with over 25 years of experience, Rob brings lived experience, honesty, and heart to every conversation.
This Episode Is Brought to You By
Mightier is a clinically proven app that helps kids build emotional regulation skills through biofeedback-based video games. It meets kids where they are and gives parents real tools to support them at home. Visit mightier.com and use code theautismdad22 for 10% off.
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