Inside the Mind of a Non-Speaking Autistic Child with Greysen

Dr. Brandon Crawford welcomes Greyson Ghali, a non-speaking 8-year-old who uses a spelling board to communicate. This conversation pulls back the curtain on the "brain-body disconnect," the reality of apraxia, and the extraordinary intuitive abilities that non-speaking individuals often possess.

Greyson was initially labeled with "intellectual impairment," a diagnosis his parents now realize was a mistake caused by testing methods that rely on motor skills rather than cognitive ability. Through the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM), Greyson found his voice at age 4, proving he was already literate and excelling in advanced subjects like World War II history and chemistry. The episode also touches on the "unexplainable," including Greyson’s ability to "visit" Dr. Crawford in a dream and his mastery over physical electronics using his mind.

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Transcript

Voice Over: Welcome to the Longevity Formula with Dr. Brandon Crawford. Let's explore the new era of wellness.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Everyone, thank you for joining us today. Today is gonna be, um, a really intriguing conversation. Um, I have the galley family here with me. I have had the joy and the pleasure, uh, to be able to get to know this little man named Grayson.

Um, he's eight years old. Um, he is autistic, and so today there's a lot that Grayson wants to tell the world, but I feel like, um, maybe we give a little context first so that the listeners can understand the formatting and, um, how this information is going to be delivered. Um, so I said Grayson's autistic and he's not able to speak.

However, he has a lot to say. And so fortunately over the years, Grayson has learned how to use a spelling board. And so there will be times when there'll be a pause, right? And we're, what we're doing is we're letting Grayson actually spell what he wants to say. And so, um, mom has the spelling board. And so, uh, the way Grayson is going to communicate, uh, throughout this podcast is by, by spelling words for us.

And so I don't know how we'll be editing that in or out or whatever, but if there's a, a pause and we're waiting on something, it's simply just Grayson communicating to us. So thank you guys for being here. Um, I know that this is, this is a lot. I mean, as you can tell, Grayson is, you know, there's a lot of high frequency stimuli.

It's hard for me to sit in a chair with light shining and all that kinda stuff. So, but I know that this is really important to him. It's really important to me. So I, I appreciate you guys being here and taking the time. So. Thank you so much for joining us.

Greyson's Mom: We're excited.

Greyson's Dad: Thank you.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: How about we start, um, really by kinda getting to know you guys and getting to know Grayson's story just a little bit more.

Can we start there?

Greyson's Mom: Um, so, you know, he was born, um, he was a very easy baby, you know, he slept good, ate good, everything. Um, and then around 18 months is when we kind of noticed that like, you know, the certain milestones weren't being met. He didn't sit up till, you know, unassisted till he was 10 months old.

He never crawled. He didn't walk till 15 months old.

Yep.

You know, so of course, you know, that's all late, you know, that's all for the, that's late for the milestones that they're supposed to hit. And so I talked to his pediatrician at his 18 month checkup and she was like, oh, you know, we'll address it when he's two.

'cause you know, he wasn't talking yet. And um, so they checked his hearing and that hearing was good. And, um, so then we put him in speech therapy and of course that didn't, you know, obviously didn't do anything. But back then, you know, we didn't know that it wouldn't do anything. And um, so he was in speech therapy from two to five.

Two to four. Just

Greyson's Dad: about four. Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. Two to four years old. And then his sister Right. Found the place where he spells that.

Greyson's Dad: Yes.

Greyson's Mom: She found it, I think on Facebook or Instagram. And it just so happened to be like 20,

Greyson's Dad: 25, 20 minutes

Greyson's Mom: from the house. Yeah. Away. And we were like, let's do it.

Greyson's Dad: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: And we brought him in the first day and picked up the board and spelled like it was nothing.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You know, and going in, you know, we didn't know if he was, you know, if he knew anything, you know, we didn't know what he knew, his colors, his numbers, letters, anything. And he just did it right away.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And how old was he at that point?

Greyson's Mom: He was four,

Greyson's Dad: yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Four years

Greyson's Dad: old. Four turning

Greyson's Mom: five, almost five. So he was actually her youngest speller that she'd ever worked with.

Greyson's Dad: Wow. Yeah. It kind of blew our minds 'cause we didn't know that he could. You hate to say he couldn't do, didn't know anything, but we didn't know if he knew anything. 'cause we tried a, a c devices didn't want anything to do with it.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: And then the first day he started spelling, he was spelling like full sentences.

Yeah. We were like, well, where's it coming from? We don't know. So it was kind of mind blowing for everybody. Mm-hmm. I think

Greyson's Mom: he had started on, so first it was like three separate boards, you know, and it was a, through, I guess what j mm-hmm. And then the next letter is in the next letter. So starting out it was only words that he was told to spell, you know?

So they would, you know, read a story and they'd leave out certain words and they'd say, okay, you know, the cow jumped over the what? And he would spell out moon. And then eventually it got to where he got to this board. Um, which can be a lot for him.

Greyson's Dad: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You know, it's, it's overwhelming 'cause it's, you know, so many letters.

They're small, you know, you have to have a lot of accuracy to get the right letters and, but um, yeah, once he got to this, it's like there was no, no turning back once he got to this. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And at what age was he actually diagnosed Autistic. Do you remember that?

Greyson's Mom: He was almost three. They almost didn't diagnose him because he was so young.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah,

Greyson's Dad: right. And,

Greyson's Mom: and was in the middle of COVID. It was

Greyson's Dad: kind of like a

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right. A big was it by telehealth?

Greyson's Mom: So surprisingly it wasn't.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay.

Greyson's Mom: He was actually able to go in, I think, just because, you know, he said, you know, like, I have to see him to, you know, give him the diagnosis, right? Mm-hmm. But originally it was global developmental delay.

Yeah.

You know? And so we were like, okay, you know, and, and so we immediately tried getting speech and OT and pt and speech was covered, I guess, because he was nonverbal, but OT wouldn't cover it. And so I called him and I was like, what's the problem? They said, because it's not autism, we're not gonna cover it.

And I was like, okay,

Greyson's Dad: yeah. Thank you.

Greyson's Mom: I was like, all right, how

that

Greyson's Dad: works, right? Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: And she basically said that like, it's not a problem having that diagnosis, but if he has autism, then they'll cover it. Then they'll cover everything. So I called up the doctor and I was like, look, like whether you think it is or not, like he's not gonna get the help that he needs if he doesn't have this diagnosis.

And then he changed it and then,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Wouldn't you know.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Well, and honestly, I mean, so the diagnosis of global developmental delay, actually you do have to have, uh, cognitive delays. There's actually a, that's a large portion of that diagnosis.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And clearly that's not actually the case.

Greyson's Mom: Right. Which now that we know, you know, now that we know there's no intellectual Well yeah.

'cause so it was global developmental delay and then it was a SD with accompanying intellectual and language impairment. Right. So obviously, you know, the language impairment is correct, but the intellectual is

Greyson's Dad: right

Greyson's Mom: far off

Greyson's Dad: now that we know.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: He's it's way off. Right. Yes.

Greyson's Mom: Which I'm sure you know, you probably know, you know, so forward, they're like testing everything is, you know, point to this letter, you know, or put this cube in this box, you know, it's, it's all motor skills.

Mm-hmm. That can be affected by apraxia. Which he obviously has.

Yes.

So, of course he's not gonna be able to do those things. Yes. You know, even though he knows how to do them, his body's not letting him do them because of that.

Mm-hmm.

And so, of course they're gonna think he's intellectually disabled because he can't, you know, or he won't do what they have, you know, the, the checkpoints that they have to mark off, he's not gonna do.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right. There's a dysregulated motor system.

Greyson's Mom: Right. Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That doesn't correlate with really what's going on the brain.

Greyson's Mom: Right. With their testing methods.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Exactly.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And that's a big problem in the autism world

Greyson's Mom: mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Is there's a lot of subjective components. There's very little real objective components to diagnosis.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, the concept of speech is large. Mm-hmm. Um, just from a functional standpoint, um, there's so many networks in the brain that have to work in sync at the same time with the proper coordination and timing. Um, and it's interesting, you know, you bring up apraxia and dyspraxia.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, you know, you have, uh, the, the default mode network, uh, in the brain, um, that has to be properly organized and synchronized.

Mm-hmm. Um, you have the dorsal later prefrontal networks that, that's largely the inner voice, uh, the volitional inner voice, uh, that we have, uh, inside of there. And then of course, you know, we've got bros area in the supplemental motor areas, and that's largely where the word production

Greyson's Mom: mm-hmm

Dr. Brandon Crawford: comes from.

And then we have the anterior cingulate systems, which is what colors everything and proper emotion. Um, and then you have the cortical bulb pathways, right? So these are all the networks that are coming down from the brain, uh, from the cortex, uh, into the brainstem that's actually coordinating the muscles and the mouth and the throat, our breath control, all of these things.

And that's where a lot of. The impairments. Yeah. Right. Or the dysregulation happens. Uh, and of course, my favorite part, the cerebellum, which is coordinating our thoughts, coordinating our muscles, coordinating, just coordinating everything, right? So it all has proper prosody and timing and rhythmic coordination, all this kind of stuff.

And it's, it's beautiful, right? And then there's even central pattern generators thrown into their, uh, in the spinal cord that, you know, I want to throw out there. So the neurology nerds don't beat me up. Yes, I probably missed a few networks, but whatever. Um, but I say all that because a lot of those networks in my theory, um, are actually hyperfunctional.

Like they're, not only are they functioning, but they're functioning on a whole nother level,

Greyson's Mom: right?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Uh, compared to you and I. Mm-hmm. Um, like for example, the dorsal lateral prefrontal, this idea, this concept to have these inner, uh, thoughts, these inner dialogues, uh, with oneself, right? Mm-hmm. There's so much going on inside of Grayson's head.

Um, he knows what he wants to say.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm. Right?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And in some instances he knows what you're gonna say

Greyson's Mom: he does, right?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. He always knows. And that's, yeah. That's a whole nother, uh, different discussion. Conversation.

Greyson's Mom: Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right? Yes. Um, but there's just this disconnect where mm-hmm. The apraxia and the dyspraxia kicks into where those motor pathways are just not properly firing.

Greyson's Mom: It's like the brain body disconnect is how they call it. Exactly. Right? Yeah. That it's not getting this stuff out and it's the misfiring isn't. Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: And that's a lot that's not talked about. Like when he was diagnosed. Nothing that you just talked about we didn't learn was talked about. And we didn't know anything about it.

Anything

Greyson's Mom: until

Greyson's Dad: you just hear a autism diagnosis and here's honestly it's device and you think it's the end of the world.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Because there's things you especially like as a dad with a son that you want for your kid. Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right.

Greyson's Dad: And then you realize it might not happen, but now, a couple years later,

Greyson's Mom: right,

Greyson's Dad: this kid's doing more than we ever could have thought.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: It's crazy.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. Yeah. Because you learn, you know, a lot more through the. You know, the experience Right. And talking to other people, you know, who get it, kind of be like Meg, you know, like they understand, you know, how it is to have a child, you know, with these special needs and you know, that, you know, just needs more care and Right.

To also not trust everybody who you think you can trust.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You know, like with certain things.

Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. You

Greyson's Mom: know, so because they don't always know and

Greyson's Dad: that's not, that's not a dig at anybody. No. Family or friends. But everybody wants to help Right. To an extent. And they can only help so much. 'cause you don't know.

Right. Not everybody knows everything. Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: And I know one thing he always was, it tells us is people might think I'm stupid, but I'm not. And that's one thing he wants people to understand.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: He's not stupid and kids like him are not, it's not mm-hmm. Even a question how smart they are

Dr. Brandon Crawford: ex Yes.

And it's, uh, intriguing, uh, is not even the, a strong enough word, but the degree of complexity that they're able to think, um. Around solutions and problems and in depth. It's like

Greyson's Mom: right out of this world.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: It, it truly is. And I don't understand

Greyson's Mom: how it, it works.

Greyson's Dad: Yeah. It, it goes so fast.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Like his brain moves so fast he can't even express it.

Yes. Sometimes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Correct. Yeah. Um, so when he started spelling and you, and started to express all of this information, what was going on in your minds? I mean,

Greyson's Mom: well, so like, first it was just, you know, like he would just say like, just short things, like random things. And we're like, oh, great. Like, I remember him and I did a lesson, I think it was the one, like World War II and, you know, he would know, you know, the like first couple things.

And then he started knowing things that like, I didn't even know. And I was like, what? Like he knows everything

right?

And just like, he knows everything. His thoughts are like so intricate and deep and like. Not, he's like an old man trapped in like a little body.

Greyson's Dad: He was finally able to like express himself to us.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: The frustration, the meltdowns kind of went away,

Greyson's Mom: right?

Greyson's Dad: Because he could communicate, Hey, I want this. I don't want what you're giving me. I want this or I want that.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: So it was

Greyson's Mom: like, and it kind of gave him,

Greyson's Dad: it gave him independence.

Greyson's Mom: Independence, you know, autonomy. Because you know, a lot of them I think also want that too.

You know, of like, you know, mom not constantly, you know, answering for him, you know, or walking right behind him, you know, anticipating every single move that he's gonna make and mm-hmm. You know, which is apparent thing, obviously, but it's more with them because, you know, they can't say, you know, I want, you know, this to eat and this to drink, you know?

But now he can tell us that. Yeah. Like, you know, like last night at dinner, you know, we asked him, what do you want to eat? And he spelled out shrimp.

Greyson's Dad: It's

Greyson's Mom: people,

Greyson's Dad: people talk to him now, not at him or through him. It's

Greyson's Mom: Right. They don't talk to us. They wanna have

a

Greyson's Dad: conversation with him.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Right.

Greyson's Dad: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Which is awesome.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. I think that's probably, you know, his like biggest thing is that he gets to be

Greyson's Dad: right.

Greyson's Mom: Independent now, you know, even though he does have, you know, the, the special needs or whatever the disability, which I don't even know if it's a disability really.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You know, I mean,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I would agree.

Greyson's Mom: You know,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I think society needs to catch up with, right. How we can incorporate kids like Grayson, adults like Grayson,

Greyson's Mom: right?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Right. 'cause it's lifelong.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. And actually contribute to society because Right. They can contribute at a whole nother level that can be so beneficial. Right. For our world,

Greyson's Mom: it.

You know, so like, it's definitely, you know, like a slope, you know, like a slippery slope of, you know, you want him to get the services, you know, and the things that he needs, but like, also don't want him to be stuck in a special needs classroom with pre-Ks when he's seven years old.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Like, that's not fair to him.

But he also does, still needs certain, you know, accommodations to be in a regular classroom.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yes.

Greyson's Mom: So it's kind of, you know, like a back and forth of, you know, you want him to get everything, but some things do still need to be adjusted.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm. So that's always, you know, kind of a hard part about it.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right.

Greyson's Mom: You know?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Exactly. Yeah. Society set up for, you know,

Greyson's Mom: one way. Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Thats it. Exactly

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So, Grayson, we've been talking a lot. You want to interject here, buddy?

Greyson's Mom: Thanks.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: What do you want, what do you want to say to us at this point in time? Please stop. And we can, I can ask you questions or you can,

Greyson's Mom: do you wanna say anything?

Sit. Do you wanna say anything? No. No. You have to sit so you can stop. Okay. There you go. Do you have anything to say? Too happy to be here. Thank you for trusting me. Totally. The best day of my life. Hi buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Well thanks for trusting me, Grayson, and thanks for being here. So, Grayson, when someone meets you for the first time, what would you like them to know about you or others like you?

Greyson's Mom: Good question. What do you think? Do not underestimate me.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Nice.

Greyson's Mom: I'm smarter than you think, period. Good

Dr. Brandon Crawford: job. Nice. Absolutely.

Greyson's Mom: Good job.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Let me ask some easier questions here. Um, what do you like to do for fun? Grayson?

Greyson's Mom: We like to do for fun to ride the side by side.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Nice. It's one of my favorite things too.

Greyson's Mom: Totally too cool. You're right's.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's awesome. Um, what are some things that you're really good at? Grayson

Greyson's Mom: Math.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You are really good at math. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's awesome. Is that, well, I'll get to that question later. Um, maybe let's talk about a little bit, just so people understand, 'cause this is rapid prompting method, right?

Greyson's Mom: Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Okay. Um, and there's, there's a lot of evidence that this is legitimate, right? But then there's other people that say it's not right because they're, it involves someone, right? Prompting you're, you're helping, right? Um, you're not guiding, you're providing a sensory stimulus so that he can have the embodiment to then produce, um, that, to help resolve that disconnection that we were talking about in the brain,

Greyson's Mom: which many people don't understand that,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: right?

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So help us, um, or help the viewers kind of understand how that works.

Greyson's Mom: Um, so, I mean, I don't know from like a neurological standpoint,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: no, not so let's not go that deep. So what's the stimulus you're providing, um, for him? Like, 'cause some here, I'm gonna be very blunt, some people are gonna see this and say, mom's just doing that.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: So more of a,

Greyson's Mom: I think it's like a counterweight almost. Yeah. To slow him down to like, help him slow down. 'cause if not, he can't slow his body down enough Right. To hit one letter and be accurate. 'cause then it's gonna look worse than how it, you know, might already look because you know, he's gonna be, you know, all over the place.

Mm-hmm. So, you know, so I think it more so helps him slow down. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Um, we actually got him the other wrist weights that are like half a pound each to like, try to help him, you know, gain, you know, some muscle I guess to see if, you know, he can gain strength to kind of do it on his own. Um, and he, he can do it, you know, on.

His own, but only with one person. Okay. And it's the girl he started spelling with. He's been with her the whole time. And I think it's more so because, you know, he knows that like, she's not gonna let him use her finger. So she's like, you know, if you wanna say something, do it. Yeah. Whereas, you know, the mom's always like, okay, you know, I'll help you.

Right. And sometimes

Greyson's Dad: I think his brain's moving so fast.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: That's gotta, that slows him down, kind like it helps

Greyson's Mom: him slow. Yeah. Slows

Greyson's Dad: down, brings him back down, kind of grounds him into being like what he's doing.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: Right. Because if not, I guess his mind's going so fast. Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: And then also think, you know, like, it kind of like helps him realize, you know, if I use, you know, her finger to spell, you know, I can get my point across better.

Greyson's Dad: Sure. '

Greyson's Mom: cause if not, like I said, he is gonna be all over the place.

Greyson's Dad: Yeah. He feels strongly about that too.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: You know?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah,

Greyson's Mom: yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, you know, from, from our perspective and functional neurology, there's also this, uh, this disconnection where, um. Grayson, similar kiddos, they, they don't actually feel their body

Greyson's Dad: mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: As we do. Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, and so, you know, I I would equate it to like trying to write your name while wearing an oven, mit

Greyson's Dad: mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right? It's like how do you have that feedback to produce that coordinated motor response that you're supposed to, right. Right. And so what you're doing is you're providing sensory

Greyson's Dad: mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: To drive motor. Right. And that's actually part of the method I've created sensory drives, motor and whatever. Um, and so on the, the therapy side, what we're trying to do is, um, integrate those sensory systems so that you can have more of a coordinated, properly timed motor response. Right. Whether that be speaking or going to the bathroom or whatever it is.

Right. Right. How, you know, there's that disconnection in your sensory experience with, um, you know, what you're trying to do on the motor side, grace, and you fallen asleep on me, buddy.

Greyson's Mom: I'm glad that you, you know, explained that because you know, like how you said, a lot of people are gonna be like, oh, you know, it's just her.

You know, moving his finger, but you know, there is a reason behind it. Yeah. You know, it's not just, you know, that I'm enabling him to spell certain words. Right. And that's not what it is because he thinks, you know, we all know he thinks exactly what he wants to think. It's not the way that I think.

Greyson's Dad: Right.

Greyson's Mom: You know, but I do think that he also can read my thoughts and everything, but that's, you know, a different day.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Different. Well, so I mean, there's, um, I would, I, I guess I would point people just for background and reference, I do think the telepathy tapes did a good job of documenting, uh, several different cases mm-hmm.

And examples, um, as objectively as they could.

Greyson's Dad: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Uh, to prove that this is a thing.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: These kids are actually able to have these abilities

Greyson's Mom: mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That go well beyond what we could ever imagine. Right. Um, and like you said, you know, even being able to. Don't, you know, to read your mind basically.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And there's really interesting documented cases throughout that series of that happening.

Greyson's Mom: Right. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, so he does have that ability, huh? Mom?

Greyson's Mom: Yes, definitely. Definitely. Well, and too, so we talked about it last night, you know, this whole situation is the, you know, the same thing to where like, people don't get it until they get it, you know?

And no one understands it until you're in the situation, you know, when you learn and then you're like, oh, well, you know, that is right. You know, or that's the way you know that they think, and that's normal for them to do certain things the way that they do it. You know? People just open their minds more when they're in the situation.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You know, than when you're not.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right.

Greyson's Mom: And so people are so quick to judge. What they don't know.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: And then, you know, you listen to those tapes and it's like, these kids know everything.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Things that even we don't know

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right.

Greyson's Mom: Obviously.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right. And there's been an explosion of this as it's gained popularity and and it's still gaining traction.

Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. It's very still new.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And I know it's, there's gonna be people that think we're, we're all crazy here. Mm-hmm. Okay. And that's okay. Let 'em think that. Um, because our goal is, is truly just to, number one, help people understand these kids have a voice.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay. They are so complex and so intelligent that it's not even funny what society is trying to

Greyson's Dad: right

Dr. Brandon Crawford: to do to them.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And we're like you mentioned, putting them in these classrooms where not only are they not. Properly placed, but I mean, they should be teaching the classroom at, at some level. You know what I mean?

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So this is really about number one, thank you for being brave and coming on and, and sharing your story and, and all of that.

Um, but number two, like, like we have to continue to get this message out there because these kids, like I said, can contribute to society.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's coming. Right. But society has to understand them first.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And right now it's all about awareness.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: We have to understand that.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: When we're working with Grayson, not only is he able to understand what we're saying, but he's forming his own thoughts about us.

Greyson's Dad: Right. And watch,

Greyson's Mom: he's ready to say something.

Greyson's Dad: Hey buddy.

Greyson's Mom: Hey buddy.

Greyson's Dad: Ray.

Greyson's Mom: Hey. Do you wanna say anything?

Greyson's Dad: Wanna do it?

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: What do you think about all that? What do you think he said? I think people need to stay in their lane. Okay, buddy.

Greyson's Mom: Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Good job. Oh, that's so true. In so many ways. Grayson, good job,

Greyson's Mom: buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That I could, I could go in so many directions with that Grayson. Um, absolutely.

Greyson's Mom: And to, it's like I said, you know, like people don't, you know, understand until they're, you know, around it, you know, so it's been good for his sisters plus, you know, his sister's kids because, you know, they're all exposed to this different, you know, child now, you know, and none of them think that it's weird because they're exposed to it.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Mom: You know, but there's so many kids that, you know, see him stem or do something and they're like, oh, you know, what's wrong with him? You know, or why does he do that? And, and it's like, you know, he's just a kid, you know, that's just,

Greyson's Dad: they just don't understand.

Greyson's Mom: Right. They just don't understand, you know?

And it's not the kid's fault, you know, but the parents don't know how to explain it either because the parents don't understand either.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: You know, so once you're around it, you understand.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yes.

Greyson's Mom: And that helps bring awareness to it, you know? 'cause Absolutely. Once the parents know, then the kids know, and then they accept it and.

You know, they just think that it's normal to be that way.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson, if, if you could make everyone non-speaking for a day, what do you think they would learn?

Greyson's Dad: He said a lot. They would be open, they would see the world different and be open to new ideas. Is that right? Dad loses track. Yes. They would see the world a lot different. Right. Okay. Some would, others wouldn't care. Okay.

Greyson's Mom: Good job.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson. Can I tell the, the story about, um, my dream with you?

Greyson's Mom: Yes.

Greyson's Dad: Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Awesome.

Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: We'll be a little vulnerable. With that Grayson. So I don't mind if you don't mind. Um, it was, it was really interesting. You know, I, I was asleep one night and, um, I don't fully remember exactly what was going on in the dream, but, and this was maybe the week after I first met Grayson.

Greyson's Dad: Yeah, I think so.

Think so. Yeah. Mm-hmm. The week after we got home

Dr. Brandon Crawford: and, uh, I was having a dream and all of a sudden I, I vividly remember, Grayson just like, appears, like drops down. I think that's how I would describe it. Drops down into my dream and, uh, you know, I'm like, whoa, you know, kind of taken back. 'cause it had nothing to do with the dream, right?

It's just Grayson suddenly appears, um, and all of a sudden I can't speak right. And, and my ability to, to speak was gone. And, uh, and Grayson very energetically, he screams, let's change the world like that. That's what he's screaming, you know? And, uh, and I'm trying to speak to him and, uh, and I just can't get the words out.

And it was so interesting because like I knew what I wanted to say.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Everything was fully coherent in the moment. It, but I couldn't talk.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And my wife actually woke me up because she said, I was like, like, mm, like mumbling, like trying to speak. And she thought I was having a nightmare. Uh, and my heart was racing and you know, and I wake up to my wife, like shaking me like, what's wrong?

Which never happens. Like, this is the first time she's ever had to wake me up. And, you know, we've been married for almost 19 years, right. Um, and it was just so, it was a dream unlike one that I've ever had. And, you know, I thought that was number one, just very interesting. And so I reached out and I'm like, Hey, this is gonna sound weird, but did Grayson visit me in my dream?

And, uh, yeah. And uh, and you responded, yes.

Greyson's Mom: I think he said yes. Ha ha.

Greyson's Dad: And I think he also said he wanted you to see what it was like to

Greyson's Mom: not

Greyson's Dad: what it

Greyson's Mom: felt like to not be able to speak.

Greyson's Dad: Able to speak.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Correct.

Greyson's Dad: If

Greyson's Mom: I remember right, then you could help more. That's right. Knew how it felt. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yes.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And, uh, and it did, you know, it gave me immense insight, uh, into what these kids are experiencing.

Um, I think the biggest insight was like, I fully was cognitive, coherent. Right,

Greyson's Dad: right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Like, I wasn't lacking.

Greyson's Mom: It didn't change your ability to think.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: No opinions, or it didn't change my ability to be Right. I just couldn't produce words.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, and, you know, it was very momentary. I'm sure that there was more, like I couldn't feel my body properly or something like this, but

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: You know, that the main focus was on the speech component and, um. And this, you know, this just opens up a whole nother discussion about, you know, how in the hell did Grayson pop into my head and, you know, all this kind of stuff. And look, I'm not gonna, I, I don't know, and I don't know that anyone knows. Um, I know that there's, uh, quantum physics that can begin to discuss how quant, how, uh, bio photons, uh, interact and how there's things like, uh, superposition and quantum entanglement and all of these concepts that are really, really complex.

Um, and if anyone says that they fully understand that they're lying, no one right? No one really understands that. I'm sorry.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, but there's science that would suggest it's possible. That's all I'm gonna say. Right? So, while this may be a, a huge esoteric. You know, conversation that, you know, you're gonna have some people screaming at me saying, you're, you're a quack or whatever.

That's fine. Look, my experience was my experience. Right? Right. And I'll stand on it. Um, I wouldn't be saying this if it didn't happen. Um, but it was, it was quite amazing, um, having gone through that. And then, um, I remember I was getting ready to speak at, um, at, uh, the Pediatric Brain Injury Conference.

Mm-hmm. And, uh, and Grayson says something along the lines of, you need to prepare more for, you know, for your speech, or you need to finish your lecture, or whatever. And I was really dragging my feet on mm-hmm. On finishing my slides. And I was not finished yet. And he's, there was something about a number 56 or something like that.

Right. And I was like, I don't know what that means. Mm-hmm. You know, I was like, I don't know. It was like,

Greyson's Dad: tell Dr. Crawford number 56. And we were like,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah, okay.

Greyson's Dad: Okay. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. And so, you know, I didn't know what it was, whatever. And, and, and I was actually kind of finishing my slides as I was about to go on stage.

And um, and I looked, I was like, I wonder how many slides I have. I have 56 slides. And, uh, I was like, okay. That's, that's quite interesting. Um, have there been other, other times like that where there's been a moment where you're like, what in the world? How did he know that? Um,

Greyson's Mom: well, so, so, okay, so we have three kids.

So in between him and our second one, I had a miscarriage and it was like, I think about 10 weeks in, you know, so we didn't know, you know, the gender or anything. And, you know, he was about 16 months old, you know, so he didn't, we thought he didn't know, you know, understand, right? But obviously he did. 'cause he said one night he was at, you know, the hill and he saw his sister.

And I was like, what do you mean you saw your sister? And he said, I saw, you know, my baby sister in heaven. I was like, okay. And I was like, well, does she have a name? And he said, rhe. And r is, my dad's mom's name was R And like, how would he know that? Like, I didn't even know that until a few years ago. And he told me and he was like, yeah, that's, you know, your grandmother's name.

And I was like, oh. So like, like just random things that he shouldn't know that he does know. Like he, he knew your, your

Greyson's Dad: my great. Your grandpa's name. My grandpa's name, yeah. Things that we never talked about with him. He just, because they're all in heaven. Heaven. Right. You

Greyson's Mom: know, so we

Greyson's Dad: don't talk about it all.

They've all passed away years ago and before we even met. Right. There's no way he should know this. I mean, people have talked about him, you know, passing in the house and stuff, but not to the extent that he should know who they are. And just it's random things sometimes.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Right. And I still don't know how, I don't know how to take it.

I don't understand it.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: I think I even asked you that. I was like, what do you think? 'cause I don't know what to think about it.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right.

Greyson's Dad: It's

Greyson's Mom: just like how his brain works, like, right. Like that intricately. So

Dr. Brandon Crawford: you

Greyson's Mom: able to know things like that?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. It, it's a different level of consciousness that, again, I, I, I don't think anyone fully understands.

I mean, um, there is a growing body of research being done on, on the non-locality of consciousness. Right. And so that, that's what that study is called, or that body of evidence is called the non-locality of consciousness. And it's really the idea that consciousness is not simply housed between our ears.

Um, like this used to be not even an okay discussion five to 10 years ago. Mm-hmm. I mean, not even like, like you bring this up and you're like, get outta here. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah. And um, but now again, going back to the concepts of quantum physics and, um, you know, we're gaining understanding and evidence that it is happening.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And it is difficult to measure, which. Is is, you know, difficult for, for scientists and, and medical professionals and everyone, you know, we want objective data. I want objective data.

Greyson's Dad: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: But I also can't deny the things that I've seen.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And the things that have happened to me.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: And so another story about that, when, um, we got home from the first intensive and people will say no, you guided him spelling, but he always talked about how he was gonna get his voice in October.

Right. And we came in October. Well, when we got home, he could tell he was kind of like upset about it, obviously. Right. Everybody wants him to talk, he wants to talk. We're working that way.

Mm-hmm.

But, um, my dad was at our house and we went downstairs, just me and him. He was upstairs with his mom and he said, what if Grayson knew or thought of October getting his voice was meeting Dr.

Crawford doing these type of things, working with you. I said, dad, I don't know. It makes sense. Maybe he knew something that we don't know. So I go upstairs and I pick up his letter board and I say, Grayson, what do you think about what Papapa just told me? He said, he's exactly right. Dr. Crawford's gonna be my voice until I get it myself.

So take you, what's what? You know? So he wasn't around, he, it's

Greyson's Mom: like, how did he know? He

Greyson's Dad: didn't know that's

Greyson's Mom: what was said.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm. Right.

Greyson's Mom: Like, yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Some people might say, ah, whatever. But to us it was like, okay.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah, he definitely

Greyson's Dad: reads, like it's just another example of him knowing things.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: And that he shouldn't know.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Greyson's Dad: Conversations he's not a part of.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: So

Greyson's Mom: it's kind of like he reads my mind for sure. I think he does to you sometimes too. Yeah. But I mean, you know, like I'll go to ask him a question and you know, as I'm asking it to him, he's already spelling it. I'm like, I didn't finish asking the question yet.

And he's, I knew what you were gonna say. Okay. Well just gimme your answer.

Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Does that make you have to guard your mind?

Greyson's Mom: Which, yes. Sometimes I'll like, that's like think of things. Well, right, because like

Yeah.

You know, sometimes I think of things and I'm like, oh shoot. Like I really shouldn't think that.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Because he's gonna know what I'm thinking.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Mom: Which is hard, you know, to just not think everything, you know.

Greyson's Dad: Well, and it's funny 'cause lately he'll tell her stuff and we talk, obviously we talk.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: And he'll spell on his board a little while later, stop telling dad everything.

Greyson's Mom: Like, and I'm like, he's your dad.

I have to tell him like, that's funny. He's like, that was supposed to be our secret. And I'm like, well, next time say that. It's our secret.

Greyson's Dad: Right. Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Because I didn't know.

Greyson's Dad: But it all goes back to the same thing when he dropped in your head. Like it's, it's stuff he shouldn't stuff some things he shouldn't know.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah,

Greyson's Mom: right.

Greyson's Dad: Will be able to know. Yeah. How does he know? Yeah, I,

Greyson's Mom: well because, so she actually told me about how y'all were talking about him in the clinic or something one day and the lights went out.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Oh yeah. Okay. Yes. That was, uh. Let me remember this. That was the Friday y'all were driving home.

Greyson's Mom: Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And, um, what I remember was actually a little bit more intriguing.

Um, I was texting you and I was working. It was, I don't know, a few hours after closing. Like I was the only person in the clinic and down the hall. Music just started blaring. I I'm at full tilt, I'm talking like, and so in our office, you know, for reference for everyone, like each of our rooms has its own speaker system so that the providers can, you know, do whatever we can do brainwave and train men or music or whatever, uh, for the patient.

Whatever is needed at that point in time. And so I, I, I was not con, I wasn't even on ever, this was Katie's room. I was not in that room at all today, that day. My phone was not connected to it ever. Katie wasn't in there. No, no one was. I was the only one in there. And all of a sudden, like, full blast. I'm like, Grayson, you're messing with me, man.

And uh, yeah, he's, it was interesting. You know, I will say, I think after, after the dream event, I, I kind of, I kind of said to him is like, dude, you're freaking me out. And, and he hasn't, he hasn't messed with me since.

Greyson's Mom: Well, so, so she told me that story and so then I told her after, so it was like a week or two ago, he has the, um, hexagon light shown his romey attack him, and they change colors.

Mm-hmm.

And I always turn 'em off at night because, you know, also, you know, they're super bright and I don't want him playing with them at two in the morning. I was sitting there. And so I always turn 'em off and I woke up and he was gone. It was when y'all were hunting. So he was gone and I woke up and the lights were on in his room and I was like.

I turned those off, but whatever. And then the next night he slept at his grandparents' house. So again, he was gone. Next morning I woke up and they were on again. And so I asked him, I said, did you do that? And, and he spelled out, ha ha. I said, how did you do that with my mind? So, I don't know.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Gray.

Greyson's Mom: Who knows?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: What do you wanna tell us about all this? Grayson?

Greyson's Dad: What do you think about all this? He said, I got you. Haha.

Greyson's Mom: You're so funny.

Greyson's Dad: He said, I'm serious. He's not funny. Okay, buddy. I'm so sorry. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Oh, Grayson, you're awesome. Um, the interesting thing to me, right? So I've, um, so my fellowship is in, uh, childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. I've always worked with, um, some, you know, kiddos on the spectrum or mm-hmm. Whatever, right? Um, so I've been doing this for, I don't know, almost six, almost 16 years I guess.

But when I first started, um, I do remember very vividly when I would have an autistic kiddo and they're not able to communicate. Just in my head. I would repeat, I love you, I'm not gonna hurt you. Mm-hmm. Like, I would do, you know, that kind of mantra would be playing in my head and that kiddo that normally would've either just broken down and, and or run away or tried to rip my face off, or, you know, to what they typically do to other providers.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: They would just kind of melt into me.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's always been a very consistent thing when I'm working with, you know, similar kiddos and I've always just thought like, they've gotta resonate with this somehow, you know, there's, there's like an energy

Greyson's Mom: or

Dr. Brandon Crawford: something Exactly.

Greyson's Mom: That you put off

Dr. Brandon Crawford: or even hear it.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: You know what I mean? Um, '

Greyson's Mom: cause I think it was yesterday, right? As soon as you walked in, he was like,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah,

Greyson's Mom: perfect. Just make 'em comfortable, I guess, you know? Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: You said your voice is calming the frequency, it is reassuring and calm.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Something di interesting did happen yesterday. Um, and I heard this through Kristen.

He referred to me as B yesterday. Is that right?

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. So, okay, so actually, so it was after our like six week, like post-op, you know, zoom call and after we were talking to him and he said B and G for life,

Greyson's Dad: which that's, and

Greyson's Mom: I was, okay, that's what

Greyson's Dad: he's spelling right now. He just spelled B and G

Greyson's Mom: for life, B and g for life.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's funny. So

Greyson's Mom: he called you B back then?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: And then at the clinic yesterday he said, I have to see B period right now, period. Because he was like kind of getting you like teary-eyed. And we asked him what's wrong? Yeah. And he said, I have to see B right now. And then Kristen was like, you know, buddy, I'm sorry.

You know, he's busy. And he said, I said, right now I'm Mary pushy.

Greyson's Dad: He said at last, he came in

Greyson's Mom: at last. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, yeah.

Greyson's Mom: And then, you know, as soon as you came in after that, he was good.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: He, he just needed to see you to feel better. I guess.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I, yes. I think just at another level, I think he knows I'm in a lot of pain right now.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And I think that was almost like him checking on me.

Greyson's Mom: I think

Dr. Brandon Crawford: he sense that's what I think.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm. What you

Greyson's Dad: think.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Um, haven't confirmed that, but I guess we can see right now for the viewers. I've got a herniated disc and searing pain down my leg right now.

Greyson's Dad: He, he said, does your back still hurt question mark?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Oh yeah.

Greyson's Dad: He said, I'm sorry you need rest. And there's no way that's me. 'cause I can't, I can't see what he's doing.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right. Yeah. I

Greyson's Dad: can barely see what he's spelling

Dr. Brandon Crawford: grace. And I do need rest, man. I haven't had a full night's sleep in a while, although I, I have had several. But the interesting thing about the comment of B that is what I was referred to when I was a kid.

Greyson's Mom: Kristen told us that. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. So I was b

Greyson's Mom: that your grandma used to call you that I

Dr. Brandon Crawford: think. Yes.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And um, I was with Dr. Madeira, our medical director last week and we were doing a lot of work for this herniated disc. 'cause this is the third time I've herniated the disc. We don't wanna do another surgery.

I've had it operated on twice. Uh, so we did a lot of regenerative medicine. Mm-hmm. And then she did a lot of emotional, like decoding work.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And there was a huge repressed memory from me from childhood, and the, there was so much discussion about B.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I, it was, it was, I mean, Madera literally was like, what was your, like we were calling me B like, yeah.

So it just, anyway, and there was a whole event where I was almost kidnapped and we had, you know, I had, I didn't even remember this. And, and all of a sudden it came to me and like, it was so for him to come in and call me b after doing all that emotional work, I was like, oh my gosh.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Come on, kid.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: He's, look, I don't know. He said I talked to his grandma.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: All right.

Greyson's Dad: Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Well that's that. Okay. We

Greyson's Dad: Okay buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: She's, uh, she's really, really important to me in my life. Uh, she passed away several years ago. For the audience there. Is there anything you want to add to that, Grayson?

Greyson's Dad: She loves you and is proud.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Thanks, bud. Well, we might have to explore that a little more.

Greyson's Dad: Good job

Dr. Brandon Crawford: another time, Grayson. Otherwise you're gonna make me baw up here like a little baby. Yeah. Okay. Um, let's maybe talk about, is he okay? Yeah. Let's

Greyson's Dad: see. What's the matter?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Do you need a, a little break buddy?

Greyson's Dad: He said I'm sorry.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Oh, it's okay.

Greyson's Dad: Okay, buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Do you feel those emo emotions bubble up?

Greyson's Dad: Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, that's okay. She meant a lot to me. Um, how about we talk about the concept of synesthesia?

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: The concept of, um, he, well help me understand his portrayal of words and letters and how that correlates with colors and, 'cause he is a little interesting in that, right?

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. Well, so, um, so. So he had a spelling lesson and it was all about, you know, synesthesia. And so I sat there, you know, as I'm listened to it and I started thinking, I was like, I wonder, you know, if he has that or you know, or can do that, or whatever. And so after the lesson I asked him, I said, you know, can you do that?

He said, duh. So I said, okay. And so I said, you know, like, how does it work? And he said, he sees certain rows as colors. I don't know which colors, but he sees rows as colors. So that's how, you know, he said that that's also how he goes so fast because he just, you know, or you know how he spells and doesn't look.

He just knows, you know, like this color, you know, this row is this color, this row is this color. And he just, apparently he said that that's how he finds it. Is that right? Interesting. Is that right?

Greyson's Dad: Yes, partially.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay. Can you elaborate?

Greyson's Dad: Can you

tell us more about that?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: What did mom leave out?

Greyson's Dad: I see colors as letters, not just rose. Okay, so each letter is a different color, is that what you're saying? Yes. Okay. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay, so what about people or other things? Are they shades of colors as well, or is it just words and letters?

Greyson's Dad: Is it anything else besides letters and words, buddy?

No.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay. What about feelings or emotions or, or is it really just letters and

Greyson's Dad: No, just letters. What about feelings or emotions?

You said sometimes. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Where do you feel your. Emotions in your body. Can you point or can you tell us

Greyson's Dad: where at Buddy?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: This is more of a clinical question. Yeah, I'm just curious.

Greyson's Dad: Where at

Dr. Brandon Crawford: emotions, where do you feel your emotions? Grayson?

Greyson's Dad: In my gut. Okay. Okay. That's

Dr. Brandon Crawford: awesome. Um,

Grayson, can you tell when someone is not telling the truth?

Greyson's Mom: Yes, too many times. Too much to tell. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson, do you need to work for the government to help us, uh, in the military or, or something like that? You know? Anyway, what did you

Greyson's Mom: say?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Can imagine him saying, I already do.

Greyson's Mom: Yes. I could help immensely.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I'm sure you can.

Greyson's Mom: You could, buddy. You're right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Oh my goodness. Yeah, I think we need a lot of help from you, Grayson, on, on multiple levels, my friend.

Greyson's Mom: So as far as synesthesia, can you explain that from like a, like a science standpoint? I mean, you know, I know how it works with him, but like,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah, I mean there's, there's still a lot not fully understood about it, but basically, um, I always think about it in, um, context of processing numbers because there's been a good amount of data on that where, you know, you have some people that can, uh, calculate these just crazy math, math calculations just in an instant.

Mm-hmm. Right? Uh, and they're using the frontal eye fields to do that. So they're not using the parts of the brain, like in the temporal lobe, the, the frontal lobe, the, uh, parietal lobe, you know, like the left inferior, uh, parietal lobe is where we do simple math. You know, they're not using those typical networks.

They're using the frontal eye fields, which processes information. So rapidly. Right. 'cause that's where we, we move our eyes, right? So it, it, it processes information so rapidly they're actually using that part of the brain to process all this complex math. Hmm. Um, same thing with people that, you know, you say, Hey, what day of the week was, um, September 12th, 1972?

And they're like, Sunday.

Greyson's Dad: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: You know, same thing. They're processing that information with that different part of the brain compared to us, which, you know, I'd be like, I don't know. Let me get my phone, you know,

Greyson's Mom: telling. Yeah,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: exactly. Um, it's the same thing. They're processing that information, just using a different network.

Okay. And therefore it has a different representation because that network of the brain doesn't work in numbers or letters. It works in colors.

Greyson's Mom: Okay. Makes

Dr. Brandon Crawford: sense.

Greyson's Mom: You know? Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So it, it's, it's, the data is still being processed.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And the brain is all about safety and efficiency. Mm-hmm. Right. This is still a safety and efficiency story.

Right. Which, if anyone follows my work. I, this is everything the brain does is for safety and efficiency.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And so for him to process that data for words and letters, his brain is most efficient when using colors.

Greyson's Mom: Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's it. Okay. He feels the safest when thinking through it in colors. Right.

That's what the brain's gonna do.

Greyson's Mom: Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: It's not gonna try to be happy. It's not gonna, you know, it is gonna be safe. Right. And it's gonna be energetically efficient.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And you get these amazing abilities.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: It's pretty cool.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah. Yeah. 'cause for, you know, sometime I don't think that he felt, you know, not safe, you know.

But I think that he was probably very like, you know, nervous a lot, you know, and on edge a lot because he couldn't communicate. Yeah. You know, so he didn't ever feel like completely comfortable in his body, you know? 'cause we, we just always assumed everything, you know, and now he can tell us everything with it.

Yeah. So I'm sure it does give him a sense of safety and

Dr. Brandon Crawford: mm-hmm.

Greyson's Mom: You know, independence and everything like that.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. What, what I'm really curious about, and I feel like Grayson is gonna be one that would be the person that can really walk this out with me and help me understand, um, this whole situation a lot more, um, at a deeper level.

But, um, when he's able to speak, what is that going to do to all of these abilities that we've been talking about?

Greyson's Dad: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: You know? Mm-hmm. That's something that I'm still unsure about.

Greyson's Dad: Right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I haven't had the experience of someone like Grayson and then, you know, being able to speak and then do they retain all this, it go away.

Greyson's Dad: Do you lose it?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Exactly. Yeah. I mean, I've had multiple nonverbal kid, I mean hundreds, I, you know, uh, multiple, multiple nonverbal kiddos begin to speak, but I haven't had this experience yet. Right, right. And, and that's when, when you guys showed up, I was like, I've been waiting for you.

Greyson's Mom: See, we're waiting for you too, huh?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. He

Greyson's Mom: been waiting for you.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Does, does Grayson have any thoughts on that, on when he is able to speak?

Greyson's Mom: Any thoughts about that? He said I, I won't enjoy speaking. Only spelling

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I've, and this has been a common theme in others, uh, that are spellers, nons speakers. They, they're like, it's more efficient to do it this way.

Greyson's Mom: Right.

People listen when I spell, okay. Good job. Yeah, you can say a lot when you spell right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson, do you still want me to help you to speak?

Greyson's Mom: No, only spell better.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: All right, then our work's done. Grayson, I'll see you later. I'm kidding. No, we have a lot we're doing and, and again, the goal. When we're working with anyone is optimization.

Um, we're trying to make you the best version of you as as possible. That is the goal. Um, which is awesome because you know, you're already so amazing. Um, Grayson, what do you love most about your brain and how it works?

Greyson's Mom: Too many things to name. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Noted. Okay, let me, I'm gonna ask a different question, Grayson, and, um, if it's, if you don't like the question, that's fine.

We can even edit it out. Um, do you, is he still going

Greyson's Mom: too special to say? Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Question. Too many secrets. You don't wanna give away your secrets, huh? Okay. Or when you're the CIA operative, we, we can't know your secrets. You're not getting me on the floor, buddy. Not today.

Greyson's Mom: Here's another question.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: My days of rolling on the floor are not over, but right now they're on pause.

Um. Okay. Grayson, I have a question for you,

Greyson's Dad: right?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I'm gonna give you a wedgie if you don't get up. I'm kidding.

Greyson's Dad: Go sit. Look.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: All right, Grayson. Uh, we have, uh, some of our staff members have some questions for you. Um, they want to know of all the different tools and modalities in the office that we use on you. Number one, which is the one you like the most, but number two, which is the tool that you think works the best?

Greyson's Mom: I like the soft wave the most. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Do you like it most on your head or on your body?

Greyson's Mom: I love the, the laser because Bee made it.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: There you go. You're gonna be in trouble if you didn't say that.

Greyson's Mom: Totally.

Greyson's Dad: Wait, you'd like to

Greyson's Mom: Totally my favorite. So. The soft wave. Where does it feel the best when they do the soft wave on my brain.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Nice. That's good to know. Is there anything that, that you don't like?

Greyson's Mom: Keep going. He said totally makes it grow His brain makes it grow. Oh, okay. Is there anything that, that you don't like? The prosthetic arms on the M machine?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Mom: Do those

Dr. Brandon Crawford: scare you that, that little boom arm? Yeah, it's like a, it's like a big robot coming after you.

Huh?

Greyson's Mom: Does it scare you? Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. It's kind of goofy, but, but the infill doesn't hurt. Right? It actually feels kind of good. Right? Or for me? It feels good to me.

Greyson's Mom: Too scary.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay. Too scary. Kinda scary. Okay. You

Greyson's Dad: like it? How does feel it? Feel good though. Okay. Yes. Feels great on my spine.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Perfect.

Greyson's Dad: Great job, buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay, Grayson. Um. Talking about, uh, therapies in the office is, and, and I know that, you know, we kinda, I asked you several of these questions last time I saw you, but, um, do you think that the things that we've put together, um, overall are very beneficial for you and for other kiddos like you?

Greyson's Dad: I said, yes.

They are reprogramming my brain.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Fantastic.

Greyson's Dad: And then he said right now,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: right now. Awesome.

Greyson's Dad: Hey,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson, I have a, I have a big question to ask you,

Greyson's Dad: uhoh.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: All right. And

Greyson's Dad: you just said yes. I don't know what the question is.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: All right. The question is, do you like being autistic? Do you like the way you are? Do you like the way your brain works?

Greyson's Dad: He said, I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm glad everybody's getting to see how smart I am.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Absolutely. So I guess you already answered my follow up question.

So if I could give you something and you could take it right now and it would change your brain so that you were, let's say, like me or dad or mom, would you take it or would you want to stay being like you? He's looking at me like, duh, you know the answer. Like, what?

Greyson's Dad: Stay Grayson exclamation point.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: There you go.

Greyson's Mom: Good job,

Greyson's Dad: Cody.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I think that's a, I think that's a really, uh,

Greyson's Mom: good answer.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Deep thought, right?

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: Okay. Bonnie, we're working on that. I only need a lazy, okay. Okay. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's awesome. Grayson, what do you, what do you wanna be, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Greyson's Dad: Change the world for people like me.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Nice. Does that mean you're gonna be working with me?

Greyson's Dad: I would love it more than anything. When can I start? Funny.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's funny. Um, Grayson, I want you to talk to the parents and caregivers that are listening that have kiddos that have not found their voice yet. What do you wanna tell them during the parts of life that are hard?

Is there a message that you can give to them about their kiddos and their loved ones that are not able to speak yet?

Greyson's Dad: Don't give up. Don't ever give up. God is with us.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Amen.

Greyson's Mom: Good one, buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson, if you could invent one thing that would make your life easier, what would that be? Gimme some insight here.

Maybe I can help you invent something.

Greyson's Dad: I'm machine to see the future. Can we do that question more?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I love it. So, I love this because. You know, there's so much insight in him.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: But he's still a kid.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah, he is.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: You know, and look, hey, trust me, I want a time machine too. That was fantastic. But, but you know, as I'm asking him questions through you guys, and not now, but, you know, prior, you know, I still have to back up and be like, Grayson's still a kid.

You know what I mean?

Greyson's Dad: We have do that constantly.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: We have to do the same thing.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. '

Greyson's Dad: cause some of the stuff he, you wanna say, he's really, really smart, let's just keep going. But then you're like, hold on, you have to like, he's eight. Pull the rein in. You have to be outside playing swinging.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: Doing things like that too,

Greyson's Mom: because like spelling, you know, his like,

Greyson's Dad: or this,

Greyson's Mom: you know, certain, you know, like topics that we do, I'm like, okay, you know, like I'll let him pick 'cause I have, you know, encyclopedia and I just let him, you know, pick which one. And he, he picks things like World War II or he did one on the periodic table.

So like he, he wants to learn things that are further than what a kid his age would, would learn about. You know? So he doesn't, so like with him, like he wants to learn so much I think because, you know, it might help him, you know, just become smarter. And then, you know, people will, will realize that he really is very smart because with like things that are his age, he thinks that those are like baby.

Yeah. And he doesn't wanna seem like a baby, right. So he's like, I don't wanna do eight times two, I wanna do 800 times two.

Yeah.

And I'll know the answer with no calculator, like mm-hmm. You know, so everything that we do, you know, is normally if he picked it all out, it would be, you know,

yeah.

Fourth and fifth and sixth grade, you know, curriculum or higher.

Mm-hmm. You know, or higher. And sometimes I'm like, buddy. Like you're still a little kid. Like, enjoy it while you can do it.

Yeah,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: seriously.

Greyson's Mom: Because it's not gonna be that way forever.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, absolutely.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson, I've asked you a lot of questions. Is there something you wanna ask me?

Greyson's Dad: Hey Ray,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: you working on your time Machine plans?

I'll see.

Don't ask me how to build a time machine.

Greyson's Dad: If I come back, can I help with Millie?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Hey, that's, that's fair. That's fair. We'll, uh, we'll get consent on that one. I don't care. You can help us out as long as parents and Millie doesn't care.

Greyson's Dad: You want to be No,

I want to be a part of changing the world with you, if that's okay. Question marks

Dr. Brandon Crawford: fine with me, man. The more, the better. This is, uh, Gideon's Army, man. I'm, I'm finding the ones that truly can have an impact and it's their passion to go against the grain and, and really change the world when others are scared to enter into that realm.

So, if you're willing to put your armor on with me, I'm willing to have you be part of the army.

Greyson's Mom: Hey, so mom is a question for you. So what do you think of Dr. Crawford's staff? Of the staff that he's put together? So amazing. Especially Walker

Dr. Brandon Crawford: and, you know, Walker is in school right now. I need to tell him you're here.

I didn't even think about it. 'cause he's actually in town, so I'll, I

Greyson's Mom: think Ava did.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay, good.

Greyson's Mom: I think he's gonna come on Friday.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay. Fantastic. All right. Good. Good. That's awesome. Yeah. Walker is going to school to do what we do, man. Okay. Grayson, besides Walker, who's your favorite?

Greyson's Dad: See buddy. Who's your favorite

Dr. Brandon Crawford: besides Walker?

Don't, don't say me. I wanna know who else.

Greyson's Dad: Andrea.

Yes.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Andrea. Yeah. Yeah.

Greyson's Dad: Mm-hmm. Andrea,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: she's a pretty amazing person. Andrea wins the award for the day.

Greyson's Mom: Give her a raise, huh?

Greyson's Dad: And she loves me.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yes.

Greyson's Dad: Too cute for her.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's funny. Well, we've, we've gone in, talked about a lot of different topics, grace, and I know that you really wanted this opportunity to, to tell the world many different things.

Have we accomplished your goals on this podcast? Is there anything left that we have not covered?

Greyson's Dad: Yes. I just want people to know I'm not stupid to know me. I'm so smart If you get to know me.

Greyson's Mom: Good job, buddy.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yep. It's

Greyson's Mom: a good answer.

Greyson's Dad: Don't judge a book by its cover.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Very nice. Good

Greyson's Mom: job,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Grayson. I think that that is a.

A really good overarching message, um, that I, I wanna make sure that we convey to everyone that, um, the next time you're in the grocery store or you're in, you know, in a school or something like that, and you see a kiddo that cannot speak or is acting in different ways, and, you know, they're, they seem to be struggling with life.

They're not stupid. They are highly intelligent. Speak to them like the person they are, and just love them, like the person that they are.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm.

Greyson's Dad: He said, God is here. He loves us all. I talk to him.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Very good.

Greyson's Dad: He sent me exclamation point. Okay.

Greyson's Mom: Good job, buddy.

Greyson's Dad: All right.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: That's right. And you're beautifully and wonderfully made, Grayson.

That's awesome. Is there anything that you guys wanna add to the conversation before we sign off here?

Greyson's Mom: I don't think so.

Greyson's Dad: No. Thank you.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you guys again. I know that, you know, this is, this is not an easy conversation and, um, I'm glad that we did it and, um, and I'm okay with the people that are gonna speak out against this.

Mm-hmm. All right. That's fine. Let 'em speak, let 'em talk. That's fine. This is a conversation that needs to be had.

Greyson's Mom: Yeah, definitely.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Absolutely. And I believe that we're going to open more minds,

Greyson's Mom: hopefully. Yeah,

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. And I, I'm excited to see where this goes.

Greyson's Mom: Mm-hmm. Yeah. You know, if. You know, so if we can help just one family like fig, right.

You know, let's just go Google RPM or you know, S two C and figure it out, then, you know, that's all he wants is just to, you know, for other kids to not be underestimated.

Yeah.

Because that's what they all are. Yes. You, they get the diagnosis and they're immediately put, you know, into this box of, you know, they can't do this, this, this, and this, and it should be, you know, what can they do exactly that the other kids can't do.

Yeah.

And instead it's, you know, they can't do all these different things, so let's hold them back and, you know, it does, it holds 'em back, you know, and they can't do what they wanna do or say what they wanna say or what did you say?

Greyson's Dad: He said, neuro solutions is amazing. Get here if you can.

Greyson's Mom: Yes.

Greyson's Dad: And before that he said, mm-hmm this will change my life.

And he said. He said, and screw them. I'm assuming the people that won't believe them,

Greyson's Mom: is that

Greyson's Dad: okay to

Greyson's Mom: say?

Greyson's Dad: Of

Dr. Brandon Crawford: course. I've said worse on here. Yeah, it's all good.

Greyson's Mom: Say so and come see Dr. Crawford. Huh? That's right. Can't go anywhere else.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I want, I want RFK to hear this message. What do you think, Grazon? What do you

Greyson's Dad: think?

He said he needs it to bring him back down to reality. Okay.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Oh my goodness. Okay. Grayson, this has been more than fun. Um, and I truly think that, uh, this conversation is going to change the lives of other people, which is the whole point of doing this. Mm-hmm. So thank you for coming on here and being so brave.

I know that you are nervous, uh, and you got over your fears and you came up here and you truly spoke to the world and I know it's gonna be amazing. So thank you guys again. I really appreciate this.

Greyson's Dad: Thank you. Thank you. That's it. Hey, anything else? Thank you. I love you.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Love you too, buddy.

Voice Over: We hope today's episode has inspired you to take that next step towards your best self. Remember, the path to longevity is paved with small daily decisions. Your journey is unique and every step, every choice brings you closer to your ultimate vision of a healthier, happier life. For more insights, tips, and resources, visit drbrandoncrawford.com.