Advocacy Letter
Nonspecific Audience Advocacy Letter
This letter is designed to support awareness of gaps in how profoundly autistic children, particularly those who are nonverbal, are identified and supported.
It highlights the absence of a structured diagnostic and intervention pathway for loss of functional speech, compared to other functional deficits such as vision and hearing.
Edit as needed for your audience, then copy and send.
Theoretical Model
Overview of how autism traits and comorbid traits connect through a shared biological cascade.
Click to learn more → ExampleSilence to Speech
Real-world progression from nonverbal presentation to functional communication.
Click to learn more → MethodologyJigsaw Puzzle Method
How the model was built through systems-level biochemical analysis.
Click to learn more →Letter Template for Advocacy
Subject: Supporting Early Identification and Intervention for Profoundly Autistic Children
Dear [Representative/Agency Name],
I am writing to respectfully advocate for improved early identification and intervention pathways for profoundly autistic children, particularly those experiencing nonverbality as an autism comorbidity.
These children often present with complex developmental profiles that include both core autism traits and co-occurring conditions. Nonverbality is frequently treated as a defining feature, yet it may reflect an underlying functional limitation that requires separate identification and evaluation.
Currently, systems primarily classify and support these children based on behavioral presentation, without a standardized process to determine the underlying mechanisms contributing to nonverbality or related developmental challenges.
In other functional deficit sensory mechanisms, such as vision and hearing loss, a functional deficit triggers deeper investigation into the underlying mechanisms to:
- Identify the specific system or pathway that is impaired
- Determine whether function can be improved through targeted intervention
- Establish a clear prognosis based on that finding
- Provide appropriate accommodations when function cannot be restored
For children experiencing nonverbality, no equivalent standardized pathway exists.
Kitzerow's Autism and the Comorbidities Theoretical Model defines nonverbality as an autism comorbidity and provides a structured framework for understanding how autism traits and co-occurring conditions may be connected, and how earlier identification of these patterns may support clearer intervention planning.
Increasing awareness of this model may help:
- Improve early identification of autism and associated comorbid traits, including nonverbality
- Support more precise and individualized intervention planning
- Clarify when treatment may improve function and when long-term accommodation is needed
- Reduce reliance on trial-and-error approaches during critical developmental periods
The goal is not to replace existing supports, but to strengthen them by incorporating clearer diagnostic and developmental guidance into early intervention systems.
I respectfully ask for consideration of efforts that:
- Support awareness and review of Kitzerow's Autism and the Comorbidities Theoretical Model
- Encourage development of structured evaluation pathways for children experiencing nonverbality
- Improve early intervention clarity for families navigating complex developmental needs
These steps may help ensure that children with the highest support needs receive earlier, more informed, and more effective guidance.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City, State]

