Brother: A Story of Autism - Bridget Hudgens, Carlton Hudgens

Bridget and Carlton are as close as any sister and brother. But their relationship is particularly special. Carlton has autism and is almost completely nonverbal. He's smart, funny, creative, and loving. He has immense challenges in speaking full sentences. Bridget's fierce loyalty to and compassion for her brother led to an unbreakable bond that has helped the siblings cope with divorce and homelessness. Carlton's devotion to his family is loud and clear, even in his silence.Carlton Hudgens was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at three years old. He didn't speak or interact with the world around him, except with humming and flapping arms. The diagnosis provided a label, but not an answer. He was considered low-functioning, but all that meant was that there was a laundry list of tasks he couldn't do, and little recognition of what he could. Carlton's sister, Bridget, just a year younger, became his protector, sharing their birthdays so that he could open the presents first, taking the blame for a broken toy to spare him from being punished on Christmas Day. She understood that she was living in Carlton's world, not the other way around. Because Carlton doesn't speak in full sentences, Bridget has opted to tell his story. ';My brother is brilliant in every way,' Bridget says. ';He just doesn't speak like we speak.' When Carlton was five years old, he uttered his first words: ';I love you, Mom!' Bridget was elated. That sentence meant that he could hear her, that he cou
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