Parents can often become overwhelmed when their children with autism have a hard time with certain tasks. With her mother’s help, one girl in Tennessee who was non-verbal for a time has been able to move past that to write her own book.

Twelve-year-old Rainbow Mosho’s “What I Gained and Lost During COVID-19” was published in November and is available on Amazon. It’s based on interviews with her mother and includes her art, which is featured on her Facebook page. There are passages about being locked in the bathroom by a teacher, her grandmother’s death, and how Rainbow has blossomed. The art featured was also all made on an i-Pad with Rainbow’s finger.

PHOTO: FACEBOOK/RAINBOW MOSHO

The Amazon page for the book says, “After months of creation while facing anguish, fear, PTSD, increased OCD, silliness and witnessing the passing of a family member, she understands that love and family will always guide her path, as well as discovering the ability to cope. The co-authors believe this is an important message to all families facing a myriad of challenges and not knowing what to do with their children.”

Rainbow’s mother, Yadira Calderon, helped her write the book. Calderon said after hitting normal developmental milestones, Rainbow suddenly stopped talking completely at age two-and-a-half. She explained that the doctor she saw gave her a diagnosis of hope, rather than discouraging comments. This pushed her to do what she could to help her daughter move forward.

PHOTO: FACEBOOK/RAINBOW MOSHO

When she was five, Rainbow was video chatting with her father. He had been telling her a long and complex story each night, and though she hadn’t been forming words very well, she called him out when he made a mistake.

Calderon said, “All of a sudden, here comes Rainbow, ‘Dad that is not the way you told me the story, this story is blah blah blah.’ She told him with every detail she heard for one year.”

Rainbow sprang forward from there, creating art that has been shared by others, including autism art groups and Tennessee organizations. She’s created a COVID-19 album that can be found on her Facebook page, as well.

PHOTO: FACEBOOK/RAINBOW MOSHO

The album reads, “For a kid with autism, traveling to a different location to help take care of a sick grandparent and experiencing loss, these emotions could become tornado force winds of upheaval and disruption to reality.

“But, art to the rescue and this young artist was capable of expressing what she was feeling based on a variety of circumstances.”

To see the album and Rainbow’s other art, visit her Facebook page.

Source: The Autism Site Blog