The David Kaufer Podcast: The Lighter Side of the Spectrum

David Kaufer
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to “The Lighter Side of the Spectrum,” a podcast where we explore how to find joy, connection, and growth while navigating the challenges of parenting kids and teens on the autism spectrum. Hosted by David Kaufer, father of a 19-year-old non-speaking autistic son, this podcast offers a fresh, uplifting perspective on life with autism—focusing on the moments of triumph as well as the obstacles.David’s son was unable to communicate reliably until he was almost 17, when they discovered and began using the spelling methodology that profoundly changed his life. His inspiring journey from silence to communication serves as a beacon of hope for anyone needing encouragement in the autism community.In addition to sharing his personal experiences, David tackles broader issues, such as building inclusion into healthcare practices to ensure those on the spectrum receive compassionate, competent care. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or professional, join us for light-hearted discussions...

  1. Sep 12

    Special Episode! Meet Stone’s Brother Ty

    David introduces his nearly 21-year-old son Ty, a University of Washington political science junior and twin brother of Stone, a non-speaking autistic young man. Ty recounts early memories shaped by Stone’s wandering and two stressful incidents (a store fire alarm and an ice-rink door opened during a game) that made him feel responsible and anxious about embarrassment or others mocking Stone. He describes how school placement was segregated, why he often hid having a twin out of embarrassment, and regrets teasing Stone’s interests. Ty says jealousy over parental attention was limited, and he was surprised by Stone’s revealed intelligence after spelling/letter boards enabled communication, including advanced knowledge and mental math. Ty condemns the school district’s refusal to allow letter boards, supports legal action, and notes learning to be a communication partner has strengthened his relationship with Stone. He offers advice to parents to give neurotypical siblings attention and ends hopeful about finally talking one-on-one with his brother.   Topics 00:40 Meet Ty Kaufer 03:32 Early Childhood Memories 05:40 Fire Alarm Incident 08:38 Hockey Rink Scare 10:49 School Years and Shame 13:37 Teasing and Growing Up 15:23 Attention and Jealousy 17:40 Ducks Game Breakthrough 21:46 Spelling Changes Everything 25:50 School District Pushback 30:02 Twins and Connection 31:17 Learning as Partner 33:58 Sibling Patience Lessons 35:41 Advocating for Stone 38:27 Planning for the Future 42:13 Rain Man and Brotherhood 46:10 Family Travel Adventures 47:47 Tip for Neurotypical Siblings 49:50 Fact or Fiction Sibling Myths 53:36 Sibling Confession and Regrets 56:14 Light on the Spectrum Hope 58:47 Fantasy Football and Farewell

  2. Sep 9

    Measuring Life Changes with Annika Cioffi and Joanne Curcio

    David addresses the long-running debate over supported spelling communication for nonspeaking autistic people, arguing that a crucial form of evidence is the observable life changes after communication access. He recounts improvements in his son Stone’s confidence, autonomy, relationships, and self-advocacy, and welcomes guests Annika Cioffi and Joanne Curcio to share similar experiences. Annika describes her daughter’s early diagnosis, shifts away from ABA toward SCERTS, exploring Brain Balance, and eventually trying spelling after repeated exposure, noting increased eye contact, joy, and clearer guidance on interpreting echolalia and needs. Joanne details her son’s early autism diagnosis, extensive ABA with minimal progress, later-discovered frequent seizures and epilepsy treatment, severe self-injury and aggression during puberty, and eventual dramatic reductions in self-harm after beginning letterboard communication in 2025, alongside improved medical participation and reduced psychotropic medications. Together they propose CRED, a Communication Rights Evidence Database, to systematically collect quality-of-life outcomes tied to communication access.   Topics 00:46 Why communication evidence matters 03:09 CRED research project kickoff 05:04 Annika early interventions and school shifts 07:22 Brain Balance and regulation strategies 09:46 Discovering spelling and first attempts 13:21 Joanne diagnosis and ABA years 18:23 Seizures discovery and language loss 21:59 Puberty crisis and darkest period 24:29 Seeing spelling work and taking the leap 30:21 Day one breakthroughs and life after spelling 34:12 Medical autonomy and reducing meds 36:20 Back to Annika changes after spelling 36:43 Eye Contact Breakthrough 38:23 Echolalia Decoded 42:16 Books and Captions 44:47 Breaking Baby Video Loops 47:39 Rethinking Stims and Screens 49:03 Talk Age Appropriately 50:18 Behavior as Communication 56:00 Quality of Life Evidence 01:03:52 Tip of the Week 01:08:00 Hope and Next Steps 01:12:30 Wrap Up and Resources

  3. Aug 28

    Epilepsy, Autism & the Hidden Layer with Natalie Boehm

    David welcomes Natalie Boehm, founder of the Defeating Epilepsy Foundation. Boehm shares her epilepsy history beginning at age two after a traumatic brain injury, the long-term effects of medications (brain fog, fatigue, mood changes), and how stigma led her to hide her condition before turning to advocacy. The conversation highlights the overlap between epilepsy and autism, noting that about one-third of people with autism have epilepsy, and emphasizes how seizures are only one part of a broader medical, mental health, and quality-of-life puzzle affecting caregivers too. Boehm explains seizure types and basic first aid, discusses misinterpretation of complex partial seizures by law enforcement, and describes emerging technologies and devices for diagnosis and seizure control. She outlines her foundation’s work, including scholarships and seizure dog grants, and stresses caregiver self-care.   Topics 00:46 Why Epilepsy Matters 01:40 Meet Natalie Boehm 03:00 Living With Epilepsy 04:44 Autism Epilepsy Overlap 08:02 Brain Fog And Coping 11:54 Non Speaking Misread 15:15 Schools And Stigma 18:14 Seizure Types Explained 20:47 Seizure First Aid 22:57 Auras And Warning Signs 27:05 New Therapies And Control 31:07 Genetics And No Cure 33:57 Diagnosis And New Tools 35:32 Seizure Tech Breakthroughs 37:41 Medication Fatigue And Caffeine 39:17 Why She Started The Foundation 42:06 Advocacy Story Saving A Life 45:02 Independence Versus Safety 48:10 Animals Sensing Seizures 50:23 Scholarships And Future Vision 53:42 Caregiver Tip Avoid Burnout 56:44 Epilepsy Facts And Myths 57:58 Stigma Funding And Healthcare 01:05:44 How To Help And Contact Info 01:06:47 Closing Thanks And Next Steps

  4. Aug 21

    Autism, Trauma & Finding Support with Stephen Laine

    David welcomes Stephen Laine, an autism advocate and writer, to discuss how trauma often intersects with autism through repeated distressing experiences. Laine recounts his sons Matthew and Aiden’s early developmental concerns, dual autism diagnoses, and limited access to ABA in Michigan due to lack of insurance coverage. He describes major family transitions including divorce, school changes, COVID disruptions, and becoming the boys’ full-time caregiver in 2021 with help from his mother. Laine details a recent crisis involving Matthew, now 19, whose impulsivity led to multiple elopements, entering neighbors’ homes and stores for DVDs and games, repeated ER visits, and an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization complicated by inaccurate “aggressive” labeling and poor communication. After discharge, Laine increased home safety, took leave from work, and notes progress with no recent elopements and successes like attending a crowded movie. He emphasizes support systems, self-care through writing and running, and counters stereotypes that autistic people lack emotion.   Topics 00:51 Autism And Trauma 01:37 Meet Stephen Laine 02:55 Advocacy Chose Me 03:21 Early Signs And Diagnosis 06:05 Therapy Access And ABA Costs 06:57 Divorce School Change Trauma 10:05 COVID Lockdown And Zoom Therapy 11:55 Full Time Single Dad Shift 13:37 Finding His Advocacy Voice 15:34 Adult Services Drop Off 18:09 Elopement Crisis Begins 21:31 Escalation GPS And ER Wait 28:16 Psych Hospital Dropoff 29:03 Misread as Aggression 31:53 Kept in the Dark 34:51 Home Safety Reset 35:27 Post Hospital Healing 37:04 Sibling Anxiety Fallout 40:02 Small Wins Returning 41:57 Caregiver Self Care 43:36 Writing and Stereotypes 45:25 Resilience as a Dad 46:29 Support System Tip 48:28 Fact or Fiction Emotions 50:10 Parent Confession Denial 52:10 Find Steve Online 52:55 Light on the Spectrum 54:48 Closing Thanks and Wrap

  5. Aug 19

    Binocular Vision and Neuroplasticity with Denise Allen

    David welcomes Denise Allen of the Healing Our Sight podcast to discuss binocular vision, strabismus, and how vision is more than 20/20 acuity. Allen describes growing up without 3D vision, clumsiness and coordination challenges, and how traditional eye care and school screenings often miss functional vision problems. She explains strabismus, common treatments like surgery (which aligns eyes but doesn’t teach them to work together), and how vision therapy trains the brain through neuroplasticity. Allen shares her daughter’s improvement after nine months of therapy, her own path requiring surgery plus renewed therapy to gain depth perception at age 54, and a confession about missing her son’s severe convergence insufficiency until age 15. The episode highlights misdiagnosis with ADHD/learning issues, limited school screening, financial barriers, and key signs for parents to watch for.   Topics 01:05 Questioning Assumptions 02:10 Meet Denise Allen 03:48 Growing Up Clumsy 05:49 What Is Strabismus 07:23 Why It Gets Missed 11:29 Discovering Vision Therapy 12:35 Therapy Struggles and Genetics 14:08 Daughter’s Hidden Double Vision 17:40 Surgery Then Breakthrough 20:06 Vision Beyond 20 20 24:35 Neuroplasticity and Training 27:27 Vision Issues Mimic ADHD 28:22 Amblyopia and School Screening 30:09 Autism Misdiagnosis Angle 31:45 Schools Miss Vision Issues 34:24 From Teaching to Podcasting 36:30 Loss and Restarting 37:48 Whole Body Vision Clues 41:04 Doctors Don’t Collaborate 44:44 Parent Warning Signs 49:01 Weekly Segments Begin 49:45 Tip of the Week 51:03 Fact or Fiction 20/20 56:37 Parent Confession Story 01:01:04 Hope Through Neuroplasticity 01:04:11 Where to Find Denise 01:04:55 Final Thanks and Wrap   Greg Evigan on Ringo, Abbey Road, and a New Royal Philharmonic Album   Cha-Chi and David welcome actor and musician Greg Evigan to discuss his extensive TV and film work, including a standout Columbo villain role in “Bird in the Hand,” plus early career highlights like a 1976 Coca-Cola commercial and work connected to Norman Lear, Don Kirshner, Neil Bogart, and Casablanca Records. He traces his musical roots from piano lessons and New Jersey bands to high school musicals and touring with Jesus Christ Superstar, where he understudied Jesus. Evigan recalls seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and acting in Ringo Starr’s TV special, and describes recording his original album with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Studio One at Abbey Road under intense session time constraints. They also revisit his theme songs for BJ and the Bear and My Two Dads, Battle of the Network Stars memories, and direct listeners to Evigan.com for music purchases and autographed vinyl.   Topics 01:09 Meet Greg Evigan 02:03 Columbo Villain Stories 03:52 Coke Commercial Breakthrough 05:11 Kirshner Lear Bogart Connection 06:21 Musical Roots and Piano 07:31 High School Bands and Theater 08:37 Jesus Christ Superstar Break 09:54 Abbey Road Album Setup 11:13 Beatlemania and Ringo Gig 12:56 Recording at Abbey Road 16:18 Ringo Special Clip 17:31 Theme Songs BJ and Bear 19:31 Sitcom Theme Memories 19:45 Co Stars and Butkus 20:37 Kids and Animals Rule 21:33 Family and London Sessions 22:39 Kids Careers Spotlight 23:46 Early Bands and Keys 25:06 Parents Records and Nerves 26:18 School Musicals and Mentors 27:15 Arts Education Matters 30:20 Network Stars Throwback 33:58 Where to Buy the Album 35:22 Final Thanks and Sign Off

  6. Aug 7

    Trust Your Gut and Ask Better Questions: Angela Akers-Castro

    David welcomes Angela Akers-Castro to The Lighter Side of the Spectrum to discuss raising her son Miles, diagnosed with autism at age five after she persisted despite clinicians dismissing concerns because he was affectionate, social, and didn’t “fit the box.” Angela describes early challenges including elopement, severe sleep issues, limited rural services in Eastern Washington, and later an epilepsy diagnosis after grand mal seizures that initially weren’t treated as epilepsy, plus the ongoing difficulty of balancing seizure medications and safety. After high school graduation, she found adult supports in Washington inadequate, researched how other states fund day programs with Medicaid, challenged misinformation, met with lawmakers, and launched the Facebook page “A Place to Belong in Washington” to share stories and policy information and mobilize families. Her tip: keep asking questions until things make sense; her parent confession: not acting sooner on her instincts about an unhealthy school placement. She closes by describing Miles’ lasting impact despite communication challenges.   Topics 00:36 Meet Angela and Miles 01:20 Early Signs and Doubts 04:26 Autism Myths and Misinformation 06:30 Miles Breaks the Mold 11:39 Getting the Diagnosis 14:38 Safety and Elopement Fears 17:06 Family Support and Community Roots 21:23 Epilepsy Warning Signs 26:55 Managing Seizures and Meds 31:04 COVID Disruption and Advocacy 33:55 Seizure Watch Summer Camp 35:34 Advocacy Origin Story 40:13 System Gaps And Case Law 45:28 Public Facebook Pushback 49:21 Ableism And Human Worth 52:17 Miles Community Joy 57:05 Tip Fact Confession 01:02:55 Light On The Spectrum 01:05:11 Join The Facebook Page 01:08:54 Closing Thanks And Links

  7. Jul 31

    Antigone Oreopoulos: Rethinking Autism Through a Sensory-Motor Lens with Dr. Antigone Oreopoulos

    David welcomes Dr. Antigone Oreopoulos, an Edmonton-based physiotherapist, researcher, and mom of an 11-year-old non-speaking autistic son who communicates via letter board, to discuss how communication for many non-speaking and unreliably speaking autistic people cannot be separated from movement. They explore the disconnect between intention and action, how motor planning challenges can be mislabeled as refusal or lack of comprehension, and why sensory-motor impairment should be recognized as a core autism feature in diagnostic frameworks. Antigone shares powerful descriptions from spellers about bodies that “daydream,” critiques behavior-focused approaches like ABA when volitional motor control is limited, and highlights research (including SPARK data) showing high rates of motor impairment in autism. She explains challenges assessing motor function in level three autism, risks of ignoring physical needs over time, the complexity of pointing/typing for communication, and why IQ-style testing is invalid without reliable communication, emphasizing presumed competence, practical coaching strategies, and frequent breaks.   Topics  00:46 Movement And Communication 01:27 Meet Dr. Oreopoulos 03:37 Her Son And Letterboard 06:09 Autism Through Motor Lens 09:50 Spellers Describe The Disconnect 13:26 ABA And Misread Compliance 17:18 Physiotherapy And SPARK Data 19:58 Assessing Motor Differences 24:37 Long Term Physical Risks 27:52 Pointing Is Complex Motor Work 33:36 Why IQ Tests Fail 35:54 Presume Competence 37:34 Empowering Parents 41:34 Motor Planning Explained 43:36 Sports and Fitness Tools 47:23 Mentorship and Training Gaps 50:19 Tip of the Week 53:07 Fact or Fiction Motor Signs 58:03 Parent Confession and Growth 01:04:12 Wrap Up and Contact

  8. Jul 24

    Brandon Boyd: Grief, Connection & Communication Beyond Speech

    David welcomes Brandon Boyd to The Lighter Side of the Spectrum for a father-to-father conversation about parenting a disabled child, grieving the imagined version of parenthood, and learning to truly see and delight in the child in front of you. Brandon shares Ben’s early missed milestones, a devastating and discouraging specialist visit in Denver around age one, and Ben’s later autism diagnosis at age two, describing years of being hyper-focused on “fixing” through therapies and fearing a lack of connection without speech. A pivotal McDonald’s moment helped Brandon become present, shift from hypervigilance to curiosity, and bond through Ben’s interests like the garage door, beads, swinging, and water, including a customized backyard pool. They discuss supporting Ben’s neurotypical brother Ethan, isolation among disability dads, and processing grief. Brandon describes Ben’s communication via signs, an iPad with LAMP, and recent spontaneous spelling, and explains why he wrote Delighting in Ben, now available on Amazon and Audible.   The book ‘Delighting in Ben’: https://a.co/d/0bA4O0pE   Topics 00:46 Fatherhood Grief 01:35 Meet Brandon and Ben 04:08 Early Signs and Specialists 05:51 Denver Diagnosis Shock 09:45 Fixing Mode Years 13:57 McDonalds Turning Point 17:52 Loving What Ben Loves 21:53 Pool Bonding Breakthrough 24:55 Balancing Ethan Too 28:34 Isolation and Processing 32:36 Family Gathering Stress 33:50 Communication Tools Update 35:08 Spelling Breakthrough 36:45 Aging Out and Empower 37:59 Exploring S2C Options 39:40 Puberty and Meltdowns 42:32 Stone Communication Journey 45:07 Why Write the Book 50:07 Hardest Chapters to Relive 53:05 Ben Joy and Growth 53:56 Tip of the Week 56:04 Autism Fact or Fiction 58:19 Parent Confession Segment 01:02:07 Book Plug and Farewell

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Welcome to “The Lighter Side of the Spectrum,” a podcast where we explore how to find joy, connection, and growth while navigating the challenges of parenting kids and teens on the autism spectrum. Hosted by David Kaufer, father of a 19-year-old non-speaking autistic son, this podcast offers a fresh, uplifting perspective on life with autism—focusing on the moments of triumph as well as the obstacles.David’s son was unable to communicate reliably until he was almost 17, when they discovered and began using the spelling methodology that profoundly changed his life. His inspiring journey from silence to communication serves as a beacon of hope for anyone needing encouragement in the autism community.In addition to sharing his personal experiences, David tackles broader issues, such as building inclusion into healthcare practices to ensure those on the spectrum receive compassionate, competent care. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or professional, join us for light-hearted discussions...

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