Praise for Why Isn’t My Child Talking?

Why Isn’t My Child Talking? by Rebecca Erickson is a wonderful story carefully retold from the author’s own experience raising her two sons who had language delay and a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Her story is deeply felt and related clearly, sensitively and with remarkable insights and learning about how the nervous system functions during child development. From basic science to practical approaches to treatment, the book provides an accurate and readable form of structured guidance for others who face similar challenges. Practical advice flows from basic mechanisms in the brain through clinical symptoms and treatments, all carefully explained.

Rebecca Erickson’s detailed observations and insights about her two sons with autism help other parents recognize underlying reasons for what seems to be maladaptive behavior or lack of expected development. Children with autism often know what they want to say and have valuable opinions but lack the motor coordination or cellular energy to produce speech. With examples from daily family life, Rebecca explores the connection between a state of fight or flight and the process of returning to regulated behavior and rational thinking. The interconnected networks involving movement, eating, sleeping, speech and development based on core principles grounded in science are made clear. Beautiful and colorful illustrations help the reader understand child behavior and respond in helpful ways. Rebecca shows parents how she re-established neuronal regulation in her children and offers concrete strategies to help you help your child.

Rebecca Erickson has managed to take some of the most difficult concepts of neurodevelopment and present them in an easy-to-understand format for all parents. ‘Why isn’t my child talking?’ gives readers the resources to better understand the non-speaking child and provides practical steps to move things forward. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in better understanding the non-speaking child.

As a physician who works with many children on the spectrum, I was very pleased to review and recommend Mrs Erickson’s book.

Over the years, I have used and recommended a combination of conventional medication and behavioral therapy, as well as nutritional and supplemental approaches to help with nonverbal patients, and appreciate the science that underlies the benefits these can bring. I have come to view with caution any big promises that individual supplements are going to change children’s lives, especially as increasing data support a more functional, systems-biology based approach to supporting neurological and immunological health. When Mrs Erickson discussed with me her work, I carried the same concerns, but after reviewing her book and seeing her methods impact children in our area, I no longer do. She makes a logical and plausible case, without conflicts of interest, that I hope can help children for whom there are few other proven methods to improve speech.

In addition, I hope researchers will use her approach as a starting point to look at systems-biology and sequential approaches to improving care for these special and vulnerable children. Even if rigorous science finds that other doses, sequences or components are more effective, she will have done these children a great service by taking this first bold step and suggesting this novel approach to helping nonverbal patients.

Written by a mother who has walked this road twice, Why Isn’t My Child Talking? offers something rare: a holistic synthesis that is both scientifically grounded and genuinely parent-friendly. Starting from the body’s ‘terrain,’ she connects the dots between the Cell Danger Response, the child’s capacity to produce energy, and the brain’s ability to heal and build new connections. Most importantly, she breaks a complete road map into small, achievable steps. Parents will finish this book feeling informed, empowered, and less alone.

Every speech-language pathologist has met families searching for answers while holding tightly to hope. The author navigates this journey with remarkable vulnerability. Through personal stories and thoughtful reflection, it offers a compassionate perspective on autism, communication, and the belief that every child has something to say.

This book was eye-opening and made me think about things I hadn’t really considered before. It was comforting to read another mother’s experiences and find parts of her story that felt familiar. As a parent navigating speech delays with my own child, it meant a lot to hear from someone who has been through similar experiences and was willing to share what she learned along the way.

I came away feeling more hopeful, less alone, and excited to explore new possibilities for helping my own child. Many of the ideas felt realistic and worth looking into, and I appreciated that the author shared her personal experiences rather than just presenting information.

I would recommend this book to other parents of children with speech delays who are looking for encouragement, a different perspective, and new things to explore. Sometimes, hearing another parent’s story can open your eyes to possibilities you hadn’t considered before.

I love that this book was written by a parent who has been through the trenches and understands firsthand what it’s like to raise a child with special needs!

I especially appreciated Rebecca’s honesty. She makes it clear that this book doesn’t offer promises or guarantees, but instead shares her experiences and what she has learned along the way. As a reader, I genuinely respected that, and it made me want to keep reading!

The visuals helped me understand the concepts, and I loved how Rebecca explained technical terms in a way that made sense.

The icing on the cake was the reminder that our kids have been there all along! Read the book to find out what that means. It’s absolutely worth a read!