"Mom": The non-verbal child typed his first word — on his mother's tattoo

Jessica Fletcher from Canada, mother of an 11-year-old non-verbal autistic son, tattooed a full QWERTY keyboard on her arm to serve as an alternative communication device when technology fails. The first time Hunter saw the tattoo, he typed the word "Mom".

Jessica Fletcher, a Canadian mother of an 11-year-old son on the autism spectrum who does not use speech, found a creative solution for times when technology fails: she tattooed a full QWERTY keyboard on her arm. The idea was born after her son Hunter's augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device ran out of battery during a meal at a restaurant, just as it was time to order food. Fletcher tried writing the alphabet on paper, but the standard letter arrangement did not suit Hunter, who was accustomed to a keyboard. He turned the paper over, drew a keyboard from memory, and used it to show what he wanted to order. "That sparked the idea in me that I can't limit him to technology, because technology does fail sometimes," she told CTV News. The tattoo also includes a happy face, a sad face, and an "I ♥️ You" button. The most moving moment came when Hunter saw the tattoo for the first time: "The moment I showed it to him after picking him up from school, he immediately grabbed my hand and typed 'Mama'," she said. Later that evening, he typed "I love you, Mom." The tattoo is intended as a battery-free backup and has the added benefit of private communication through touch. The story spread online, and Fletcher partnered with a local business to create shirts with a keyboard printed on the sleeve. Tattoo artists also offered to perform similar tattoos free of charge for other families.