A toddler from the U.K. was developing normally. Then his mom began noticing changes that would alter the course of his childhood.
Charlotte Cantle, 30, told Newsweek that her son, Rhodes, was the perfect baby.
“He slept great, was so happy and content, hitting all his milestones and was just a joy to be around,” Cantle said.
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When he was 1, Rhodes could say words such as "mama," "dada," "nana" and "pop-pop."
He was also starting to speak in sentences. Cantle, who shares Rhodes with her husband Josh, 31, said he could answer simple questions too.
For example, if someone asked what Santa says, he would respond with "ho ho ho."
Then Rhodes stopped talking altogether. But that wasn’t the only change his parents noticed.
“He stopped waving, clapping, pointing and doing actions to simple songs,” Charlotte said. “Rhodes lost all eye contact and didn’t look at you anymore. He didn’t respond to his name as well as just being distant. He had such a vacant look about him.”
Concerned for her son, Charlotte pushed for a pediatrician referral from her health visitor.
“I knew that something had happened to my little boy,” she said. “She was hesitant because he was so young and not even at a nursery setting yet, but I knew that you didn’t do everything like he was and then stop for no reason.”
The referral was accepted, and within seven months of her raising concerns, Rhodes had been seen by a pediatrician and received an autism diagnosis at 2 years and 4 months old.
While autism is often associated with developmental delays, some children experience what’s known as developmental regression—losing skills they had previously acquired.
According to MedicalNewsToday, regression most commonly occurs between 15 and 30 months of age and can involve a loss of language, social communication skills, eye contact or gestures such as pointing and waving.
Not every autistic child experiences regression, but it is a well-recognized pattern of development in a subset of children on the spectrum.
To parents, such changes can seem to happen almost overnight. But researchers are still trying to understand why some autistic children lose previously acquired language or social skills while others do not. Studies suggest genetics, immune processes and differences in early brain development may play a role, but scientists have not identified a single trigger for autistic regression.
“We were heartbroken when Rhodes lost all of his speech and skills,” Charlotte said. “We were so worried about what had happened and why it had. Even now, even though we know it’s autism, it still hurts to look back at old videos. It almost feels like a different life.”
Charlotte said the diagnosis brought a complex mix of emotions.
While she grieved the future she had once imagined for her son, Rhodes' regression meant she was also mourning skills and traits he had previously displayed.
“That is not to say you're not happy with the life you have with them now,” Charlotte said. “Two things can be true at once: you can grieve the life you thought you were going to have, while still loving the one you have right now.”
Although Rhodes was diagnosed at a young age, Charlotte has found it difficult to find support.
The early diagnosis did, however, allow the family to begin the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process well ahead of his planned school start date next year.
Rhodes, who will be 4 at the end of October 2026, currently benefits from one-to-one support at nursery, though his speech therapy was halted because he was unable to engage with the sessions for long enough.
When it comes to non-verbal children, Charlotte said there are a few common misconceptions she would like to challenge.
“I hate it when people talk about Rhodes like he isn’t there, or even worse, just completely ignore him,” she said. “Although Rhodes doesn’t talk as he is getting older, we have really noticed a development in his understanding. He knows some things we are saying and [he is] aware of what is going on.”
Above all, Charlotte and Josh hope that Rhodes is happy and healthy, and able to enjoy life on his own terms.
Charlotte said he has taught the family to slow down, appreciate simple pleasures and find joy in everyday experiences, particularly his love of being outdoors and exploring.
“We are celebrating the fact that his understanding is starting to come on now and he can understand things like, ‘Give mommy a kiss’ [and] ‘Let’s get your shoes,’” Charlotte said. “Although we have a long way to go, we will all be on this journey together and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He really does light up our lives.”
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Tony Phillips.