Parents' and children's names have been changed to protect their privacy. The quotes below are the parent's own words from our private community, lightly trimmed.
A parent in our program documented her 6-year-old son's gradual changes over about six months, including trying new foods like carrot juice and salmon, new sounds and a first two-word phrase, a calmer haircut experience, and what she described as her first real conversation with him. Results like these vary by family and depend on many factors. Parents curious about the approach behind these posts can learn more in the free live training.
| Where they started | Where they are now |
|---|---|
| In early April, a parent in our program shared that her son drank carrot and apple juice for the first time ever, a small but big moment after a long stretch of very limited foods. Around the same time she noted she had been working for months to eliminate nearly all gluten and dairy from his diet, and new sounds were just beginning to emerge, like his first attempt at the 'help' sound. | By September, the same parent described what she called her first real back-and-forth conversation with her son, along with a spontaneous hug for his sister that he didn't want to let go of. Along the way there were new foods (sweet potato fries, salmon, chicken), new sounds and two-word phrases, a first time using the toilet, a calm haircut, and moments of following directions without prompting. |
She described her son making two syllables together, using the toilet for the first time, saying 'beep beep', and surprising her by already knowing his letters.
“[My son] just pooped in the toilet for the FIRST TIME EVER” (parent in Six Months to Speech)
After being away for over a week, her son immediately used a practiced sound to request their trampoline game, showing he remembered it.
“he immediately walked to the backyard door and said "sh!” (parent in Six Months to Speech)
The parent noted a especially positive speech therapy appointment and shared that her son ate all the chicken she made and asked to take a bath on his own.
“His speech therapist literally said “who is this kid?!”” (parent in Six Months to Speech)
She described her son sitting still and calm for a haircut after previously struggling with the experience, and following verbal directions without needing to be looked at or pointed to.
“he sat perfectly still and didn't make a sound. We just can't even believe it” (parent in Six Months to Speech)
The parent shared what she called her first real back-and-forth conversation with her son, followed by him hugging his sister for the first time and not wanting to let go.
“That was my first back and forth with my 6.5 year old.” (parent in Six Months to Speech)
Read what parents in Six Months to Speech have reported or browse more family stories and guides.
This is one family's experience, shared by a parent in our private community in their own words. Parents' and children's names have been changed to protect their privacy. Results vary from child to child. Six Months to Speech is a coaching and education program, not medical treatment, and it does not replace care from your child's doctors or therapists.
About the author. Chelsea Juels, M.S. (@the_holistic_schoolpsych, The Holistic School Psych), is a mom of three, a Certified Nutritional Therapist with an autism focus, and holds an M.S. in School Psychology. Her twin boys were level 3 autistic and nonverbal; today they speak in full sentences. More about Chelsea.
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk with your child's pediatrician about any medical, feeding or diet concerns. Individual results vary. Published October 16, 2026.
Not exactly — the posts show specific new foods she tried along the way, like sweet potato fries and salmon, not a total change in eating. Every child's relationship with food is different, so results vary. If you want to understand the approach behind these small food wins, the free live training walks through it.
Based on these posts, new sounds and a first two-word phrase started showing up within the first month, with more progress over the following months. That said, every child's timeline looks different and results vary a lot. We'd encourage you to check out the free live training to learn more about how families approach this.
No, this story is just one parent sharing small moments of progress she noticed in her son's eating, sounds, and behavior over several months. We can't speak to outcomes for any other child since results vary family to family. If you're curious about the approach this parent used, the free live training is a good next step.
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