Carson is the son of BJ and Emily Smith. He is most easily described as having a significant developmental delay. He just turned 15 and functions about the level of an 18-month-old. Carson has significant delays and challenges with self-help skills, motor skills, and he is completely non-verbal. He also struggles with receptive language, or in other words, understanding what words are and mean. There are a lot of different labels we put on these kids and there is a wide degree of ability from one to another.
However, a lot of the challenges and the way they manifest are similar among different types of intellectual disabilities, whether it is Autism, Down syndrome, Angelman’s syndrome, or a random defect on a chromosome like Carson has.
Carson loves lots of things. He loves jumping on the trampoline, playing chase, and tossing the big beach ball in the backyard. He also loves chocolate, doughnuts, and pizza just to name a few of his favorite foods. He has the ability to draw people to him with his piercing eyes and the personal connection he makes with people.
Carson enjoys having dance parties with his siblings and to be wherever the party is. He remembers things and people well. He will often jump up and down with excitement and laugh when he sees his grandparents or others he knows. Most of all Carson loves people and has an infectious smile.
