Singing helps autistic boy communicate with his family

AN AUTISTIC six-year-old who struggles to speak and interact with people has started singing to help him communicate and carry out daily tasks.

Harry Geor has been “non-verbal” for most of his life, mimicking sounds and words he hears from other people.

He was diagnosed with autism -– a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others – at the age of three.

Due to his condition, Harry – who has been described as a “fun and lovable” little boy – finds it difficult to interact with people, often using hand gestures and pointing at things to communicate.

But all of that changed after Harry discovered singing.

His mother Alexandra Arnould, 26, from Caerphilly, said: “Harry is such a fun and lovable little character, who just loves to dance, sing and laugh.He enjoys long walks, because he has so much energy. His favourite thing in the world is trains.

“Harry is autistic and got diagnosed when he was three. I also think he has ADHD, but that’s another challenge we have to take on. He’s been non-verbal all his life just mimicking sounds and words.

“But he will sing a full song so we try to make everything into songs for him to learn.”

She added that family has introduced singing into everyday life for Harry.

Alexandra said: “If I was to say, it’s bath time – I would sing in it in a tune. Even though I can’t sing myself. We sing a song to get dressed. So, if I say let’s put your socks on, I will sing it instead of saying it.

“It works for him because he copies me.

“Singing has helped him because now he will talk and say he wants a drink.

“Whereas before he would just point. We turned it into a tune and now he asks for things.”

Alexandra said Harry started to sing at his Christmas concert last year.

She said the family had a “huge surprise” when they discovered he was singing a solo part in the show which he performed “brilliantly” and in front of a number of people.

Writing about the concert on Facebook, Alexandra said: “When we went to Harry’s Christmas concert we had a massive surprise. The teacher informed us the morning of the concert that Harry was doing a solo. He was the only child out of the 12 children in his base to do this.

“Other children had lines to read but as Harry isn’t fully verbal yet, he would have had to have a teacher saying single words to him to repeat.

“This little boy stood on that stage and had me, his daddy, teachers and the whole hall bawling.

“He held his microphone, looked at us with his happy grin and sang his absolute heart out. He did it.

“I could burst with pride on how far this little boy has come.”

Alexandra recently asked Harry – who doesn’t like to have his photo taken – if she could record him singing.

“At first he wouldn’t let me, but with a little bit of encouragement and persuasion, he let me,” she said.

“This is our little boy, who struggles daily with his speech, but he tries and tries and never gives up no matter how frustrated he gets.

“Harry I honestly admire you. You have a heart of gold and eyes to die for and you melt me.”

Alexandra is now planning to hold a fundraising party for autistic children to raise awareness of the condition.