Learning to Speak at Age 18 with a Sister Who Never Quits (Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome)

April is diagnosed with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. She is nonverbal and not yet able to communicate verbally. Her sister, Rachel, is studying to become a speech pathologist with the hope of one day having a full conversation with April. As Rachel continues to learn, the bond between the two sisters strengthens. They are now closer than ever to achieving their goal.
SBSK Insta: / specialbooksbyspecialkids
SBSK Twitter: / chrisulmer

[@JackieHagge]

I'd love to see what Rachel and April are doing now

[@jess3840]

Same

[@soposh5673]

Being depressed

[@anactualalpaca7016]

@@soposh5673 How can you be so sure

[@edcwseferg3603]

@@soposh5673 great contribution, jackass :)

[@hopeinjess]

@@norryvamp what’s her FB

[@33LB]

rachel has such a good heart. my mental health has been so bad recently because of how horrible some people are, but watching rachel and april made me feel a lot better just because of how rachel treats her sister so well.

[@smileawhile6881]

God bless, hoping you're feeling better soon💪🙏✝️🙂

[@wonyounging]

This channel always makes me feel better when i feel shitty. Reminds me that there are some good people in the world!

[@JamieReynolds89]

Stay off the internet if you can't handle what people say.

[@33LB]

@@JamieReynolds89 i wasn't talking about the internet...

[@JamieReynolds89]

@@33LB oh ok my bad, yeh people can be horrible f*ckers, try not let em get to you.

[@MrDuane-lr8dm]

I have a mostly non verbal autistic grandson. He says very few distinguishable words, but the rest is just sounds. I often just sit and watch him interact with the world. I am so fascinated by watching the things he does. I wish I could know what he is thinking. Or at least understand how he sees things from his perspective. For his birthday he got some "Cars" cars. Before he would let anyone open the package, he first had to thoroughly inspect the entire package from every angle. He can't yet read, but he would look at all the words, run his hands along the curves of the plastic, then finally hand it to us to be opened. He would then thoroughly inspect the car very carefully, then place it in a surprisingly nearly perfect straight line, with the other cars (I couldn't have made it straighter without the aid of tools and he's 4), then he would inspect the entire line of cars with the same thoroughness. How I wish I could see life from his eyes. I hope one day he'll be able to tell me.

[@StaticChef]

this is the most heatrtwarming stuff i've read in awhile. we need more in the world like rachel, your grandson, and you.

[@BowbOw344]

It's nice to just observe mostly nonverbal people....also autistic people in general.....they take their time to watch the world and appreciate it more than anyone else really Edit: I am autistic and I'm verbal but I am still pretty quiet and more observant instead of talk

[@george_2172]

@@rhondareed3002 I hope your son is doing well 🙏

[@therefridjerator]

say hi to your grandson for me please

[@MrDuane-lr8dm]

@@therefridjerator Thank you. 🙂

[@ladychaneen]

What a beautiful family. Love Rachel’s love for her sister and her courage to be April’s legal guardian since she was 19!

[@brookebixler1040]

I don’t understand why her parents wouldn’t be her guardians?

[@Anonymoose0523]

@@brookebixler1040 because parents dont live forever and she will need care her entire life. Her sister chose to be there. Its awesome.

[@brookebixler1040]

@@Anonymoose0523 Oh, ok. Please excuse my ignorant comment. Thank you for explaining it to me, I appreciate it!

[@Mia-es1rp]

@@brookebixler1040 I was wondering about that too.

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

Hi 😍❤❤

[@Theanakkcfjjkd48]

my little sister is 8 turning 9, and she has this rubin stein taybi, and autism! my little sister is learning with an app to communicate with people! i love her so much

[@smileawhile6881]

❤️🙏💪💪💪💪🙂🙏

[@rexxo4246]

Is it very hard to know if she understands you?

[@Theanakkcfjjkd48]

@@rexxo4246 well she understands easy things i say so it’s not too difficult

[@rexxo4246]

@@Theanakkcfjjkd48 Okay nice to hear since it could be a lot worse.

[@AngelChub-iv1rc]

❤❤❤❤

[@Kyle-sp6dd]

Rachel is such a beautiful person, wise BEYOND her years! It’s so heart warming to watch the love she has for her sister.

[@Toffee146]

......wise BEYOND her years.

[@Kyle-sp6dd]

@@Toffee146 thanks I’ve corrected it just for you :)

[@davidpressley3451]

I'm shocked that she's 18 she looks younger

[@mariaa9635]

I am a speech therapist and decided to watch this video because one of my new students has RTS. I find it amazing that Rachel is also an SLP. I woke love to know what Rachel and April are up to now.

[@canadasweetie]

Wow, Rachel demonstrates just how important her sister April is and what love truly is. Not all family would do this. It is easy to say you love someone, not so easy to show it. This is love.

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

Hi 🙋🙋 How are you beauti friend 👧👧 😍😍❤❤🌷🌷

[@rickwrites2612]

I'm really appreciative of how mama recognizes Rachel is in late adolescence and is going to have the typical things that go with being 15- 21 y.o. youth, like moodiness, wanting to be left alone to listen to music etc. It's such an important perception to realize though someone is limited in communication and/or cognition, they are not trapped in time like forever babies but go through their own development. Though many mama's do have an instinct to somewhat infantalize even their typical children well past puberty, lol.

[@Frosty0762]

April* Rachel is the big sister

[@Inf7cted]

I am sure Rachel will have a full on conversation with her sister in the future.

[@CommentKingOfHorror_Colin]

I adore this family. These parents have raised two wonderful, beautiful daughters and I have so much respect for them as parents. I am a 22 year old college kid and I seriously never comment on KZbin videos but I had to take the time to comment on this video of sweet April and her wonderful, amazing older sister & parents. I am sending love from Dallas, Tx and pray you see this comment and are extremely proud as parents, you deserve the love and should be so so proud.

[@nsasupporter7557]

I’m in Dallas too 🙂

[@vivianevenancio6502]

What a sister Rachel is! Her respect and dedication to her relationship with her sister is inspiring.

[@bigmistqke]

That sister bond teared me up a lil ❤️ The parents did a great job growing up two beautiful sisters. April you are awesome!

[@kumi9479]

Imagine all the other people Rachel will help through her sister, the fact that she was inspired to become a speech therapist by April is pretty amazing. 🤗

[@longtabsigo]

Rachel, you are the consummate older sister, I would have loved a sister like you!

[@tylerk3616]

The joy that april expresses makes our world a better place. Also, I like cookies and milk too. One day with better technology people like April will be able to communicate their thoughts with everyone else.

[@rach3092]

Cookies and milk is awesome! She’s got good taste ;)

[@DarkWandererAU]

This video had a profound effect on me. The bond between the sisters is really something else. I wish them both the best in their efforts to find more ways to communicate

[@cjeyerly869]

I think these videos are a very good way of showing people, that despite someone's disability, especially if they're non-verbal, that it doesn't mean they can't understand completely. I think a lot of people have the misconception that if someone can't speak, they can't comprehend, and many of these videos prove the exact opposite.

[@HEVORA362]

The mother has such a wonderful smile, father seems to be a nice person too and sister of course, wonderful family ❤️

[@bambinevills-denning9505]

The sisters relationship is so beautiful!

[@dantaylor333]

she is such a great sister, they help each other so much

[@laurasalo6160]

What a beautiful, patient and devoted sister she has. She really is amazing. Bless her heart ❤

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

I love u ❤❤🌷🌷 Really I like u 😍😍👧👧🌹🌹🙋🙋

[@mariaalejandramillanhernan8662]

April is so PURE, people like her deserve heaven

[@AskDr.Stupid]

I love how technology has given a voice to so many people like April. It must feel so good to be able to communicate with everybody.

[@gabriellaruhlman6688]

Rachel has a very motherly vibe in her interactions with April ❤ what a beautiful bond to have between sisters

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

❤❤🌷

[@karenmilford7809]

Rachel just radiates love and compassion. Her devotion to her sister April is so precious and beautiful. There are those certain people in life that just shine from within with kindness and she is one of them. Clearly this whole family is filled with love, and April is the blessing at the center of it all. What an amazing thing to see. This whole channel is such a gift, as it reminds us how God shows His face most clearly in those like April and her family. I have a child with special needs. Even in the most difficult and trying moments God reveals His presence and His love through her, and the subjects of this channel and those who care for them. Loving someone with special needs elevates our capacity to love others like nothing else. If only the whole world could see that those who are considered "imperfect" are actually entirely whole and beautiful just the way they are. Not in spite of their differences but because of them. God Bless ❤

[@thebluelotus2883]

A very inspiring and beautiful family.

[@hannahrose1878]

Such a beautiful family! I'm so happy the comments are finally turned on

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

🌷🌷❤❤

[@lindanegrete3897]

Being a sister is truly wonderful and having a sister like april is special because of the love you see in her eyes for her big sister

[@Isafell2001]

Rachel is a natural gift. Her love and hope for April is outstanding. Fair play to her and I hope they’re both doing well now

[@JD.727]

Even if this conversation never happens, everything Rachel does to make it happen, communicates her love to April in all the ways she can understand and feel and enjoy right now. I'm sure this diagnosis is harder at times than they make it look to us, but they seem like such a genuinely loving family who support one another. Such sweet parents. You can tell a lot by the way any family communicates with each other without words. And of course, sometimes words fail.

[@kirstyl1372]

I think we’d all love a sister like Rachel.

[@chikensaku]

Isn't it just amazing how happy and loving April is? There are so many people with depression and a deep sense of unhappiness and unease in the world and then there's April. Happy- full of love, a ray of sunshine. She's like a living, breathing angel. You can tell there's so much care and love between April and Rachel.

[@lililay2627]

Rachel is just an angel really her bond with April just make me shy about the relationship I have with my little brother

[@Seb4041]

April is so cute. Aw her smile is infectious 🥰

[@TinkLuvsHarleys]

Sweetness overload, LOVE this family.

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

Hi Sweet heart ❤❤💗💗❤❤

[@davidelliott9661]

I think there ought to be a class that teaches children about people with these difficulties throughout grade school, so we don't grow up thinking its ok to pick on people. And we ought to have ad campaigns that remind us that these people are just like you and me.

[@mariadigiorgio7440]

What a beautiful, loving family!!!! To witness the love and devotion of Rachel is simply breathtaking!!!!

[@NikkiCaswell]

The way that Rachel demonstrated on how speech teaches the way of communicating with someone nonverbal/limited vocabulary and seeing it unfold with April happily reciprocating her style of communicating is so wholesome. What a great sister she is.

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

Hi 😍😍🙋 Or u marriad ??? ❤❤🌷🌷

[@geoffhilton8072]

April is so sweet! I love that Rachel is going into speech therapy for her sister, aww!

[@TheRealSmithFamily]

Omg, what an amazing sister! No doubt April helped make Rachel who she is. Beautiful family.

[@africarenee]

April looks like a pretty doll. She's beautiful, and sweet 🥰🤗💝💐🦋

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

I Love 💕💕💕💕💕💕 Love 💞💞💞💞💞 Love 💖💖💖💖💖💖 Love 💝💝💝💝💝💝 Love 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗 Love ❤❤❤❤❤❤ You So Sooooooo much Really I Like You 👧👧👧👧👧👧💍💍💍💍🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹😍😍😍😍😍😍😍🌷🌷🌷

[@josepha3805]

Rachel's a doll too

[@ajnelson30]

I think music is so important to nonverbal people and I love that! Music is fantastic

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

Well You Merry Me 🙋🙋 🌷🌷🌷 ❤❤❤❤❤ 💍💍💍💍💍💍💍 💑💑💑💑💑💑

[@munen-muso]

In tears and singing along at the end. I love Rachel, her family, and of course, dear Chris. Keep going brother, we are with you!

[@kathrynoneill5862]

She is so adorable. Wonderful family.

[@clairegoodell1742]

she has such an adorable and sweet personality!

[@juliestevenson9151]

Such a lovely caring family and such a happy wee soul I wish her well

[@surakorrokarus3613]

this is the only channel that gives me a good feeling of making the world a better place while watching the ads between all the heartwarming smiles the creator and guests create on my face. thanks to the creators and all the amazing persons i would have never seen without this channel.

[@TheEricJBotelho84]

2:05 she understand what her sister. More praise to that sweet girl

[@Tranquility32]

How BLESSED I would be if somehow, one day, April was to smile and wave at me or any of us. She’s so sweet and happy!

[@marleenninaka1303]

Hi everyone: It's so nice to see you all again on KZbin. I want to meet you all one day. Take care and stay safe.

[@goo3168]

I always come back to watch these. I saw this pop up in my feed again and like the last time I watched this, April’s smile just warms my heart so much

[@goggles52]

Rachel is the best. I wish I could be as strong and wise as her

[@JustFamilyThings]

What a beautiful family. All four of them smile with their eyes. They seem genuinely happy and kind, like they’d be great to spend time with. The sisters singing the airplane song was wonderful!

[@princesscheeseburger5198]

I AM BAWLING RIGHT NOW! I love this family and bless you all ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@ImranKhan-tj3dr]

💗❤❤❤💗

[@TheSnej3089]

April is a super star ⭐️ and gets the best super star of all time award🥇 Rachel gets sister of all time award 🥇 mom and nana raised 2 very wonderful woman they get the parents of all time award🥇 Chris get the award 🥇 for best smile 😊 of all time ! Very lucky to be able to watch your videos Chris thank you 🙏

[@cayteowands]

Rachel... Break my heart with your love & compassion 💕 Praise God

[@brendaseager7371]

Wow you can see what an amazing sister she is. Every sibling should love each other so much all the time. I love it when I see my grandkids hugging or kissing their siblings, just because they are there.

[@artie2668]

What an absolutely beautiful bond between sisters, God bless them and their family ❤️🙏

[@bonniemoore3461]

This is just so beautiful!! The relationship between the two sisters is so special !! .They are so Amazing together 💖💕💕💕

[@kantnergirl08]

Her sister is an angel

[@Desidpl]

Omg. Im in love with Rachel so much!!! She is an angel

[@lililay2627]

April's smile just brighten my day 100 time

[@leekshikapinnamneni4835]

Both are so beautiful. April I think you’re amazing and Rachel I think you do an amazing job working with April. Beautiful sisters.

[@gangstaboy9387]

Lol she absolutely know daddy will help her out of annoying situations like having to sit still or talk with the iPad. So nice to see ❤️😅

[@kiwdwks]

A truly inspirational family...thanks for sharing them!

[@alicelovecraft8486]

Absolutely heartwarming 😭

[@robinjays6508]

This channel is one of the best yet i have seen , very inspirational for sure ☺

[@craigkelly4278]

What a wonderful world we live in when a family has so much ❤it makes me feel life is worth living

[@helenneemeyer1602]

Chris, I love what you do! It has opened my eyes to a lot of illnesses I didn’t know exit. It good to be aware and know just what they are. You are wonderful at what you do. You have such a kind heart ♥️

[@marimoraesbert]

I love you so much, SBSK! ❤️ thank you for everything that you guys do, it’s so amazing that I can’t put into words. Everybody should be able to watch these amazing content you bring to this world. Wish you the best, Chris and Alissa, and every special person that you introduce us ❤️🇧🇷

[@thinkhector]

It's really cool how April (the sister with the disability) completely inspired, and changed Rachel's life (the abled sister) for the better. This a real example of why we should value all types of people more and not less.

[@isabellrc]

April is a sister that is a precious gift to not only Rachel, however the entire family. This was heartwarming to watch.

[@hotwateronwool]

What a lovely family. Thanks for sharing with the world :)

[@goldenfrog2]

Human beings are such vocal creatures,but there are so many ways that we communicate that are not,facial,and body language tell us so much,April is amazing,and beautiful,I hope she has happy trails.

[@Ninjanecko]

her smile is contagious

[@jujuoof174]

God bless them they are all adorable and precious and kind! I wish them a good life! Amen.

[@blondieinny2010]

I absolutely love the fact you have made this channel. Being in the medical field I’m learning so much new and all sorts of interesting and informative information. Is their ways to update on some of these family’s in near time. Such loving family, friends and more. Your doing amazing work sharing all kinds of information and much more. Def gods work to open up everyone’s story. ❤

[@Igor-wb1sr]

Beautiful! All love for her and the family! 💖💖💖

[@abeolivares7875]

Rachel is so inspiring. 💕

[@aaronanytime8897]

Wow Rachel that is an amazing thought you had about nonverbal's possibly speaking in their dreams!

[@theonekclu9749]

This made me so happy.

[@lexie2134]

I love April and her family SO much. She is so smart and talented and I hope that they are all doing well!

[@johnjobin7694]

Rachel is amazing❤️ An inspiration to us all❤️ Sending love to Rachel and her family❤️

[@rocdocs]

She digs singing! Once they did her favorite song, she just LOVED it!

[@a.mostpeculiar4320]

I’m in with this channel, this guy, and his guests

[@mohammedaslam2912]

We need to bring more inclusion for everyone. This channel is doing a really great job.

[@Bravosmom1]

Chris is the BEST !

[@RobVespa]

Thank you for sharing April's story. I hope it continues to unfold in interesting and positive ways. Such a loving and supportive family. What an informative, happy and hopeful interview. All the best.

[@noahrodriguez1895]

She is Beautiful. Her smile, I love it.

[@george_2172]

God bless you April and your family, you all are such wonderful people 🙏

[@shannimonet]

Her word for Daddy is Nana, too cute 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@jesusesqui9501]

The comment section is available, incredible news, congratulations, i'm SO happy for y'all and for this beautiful youtube community And She's pretty, I'm pretty sure in the near future Will communicate and conversate with her Warrior and incredible sister, that's real love

[@kurtisrobbins5700]

Hannah - thanks for sharing your story!! I love the big sister wandering what April thinks etc

[@caroldonaldson8452]

Another lovely family. I do enjoy all your videos Chris.

[@coolcucumberz]

April, you have the sweetest smile!

[@0r0r0]

We need a reunion! I'd love to see where they are now ❤️

[@marymoore3625]

Wow! this episode really touched my heart.

[@victoryengineer]

OMG, who wouldn't want to hang out with April? I absolutely love being around people who are so uplifting and the brightest light in the room. I'm the boss where I work and there are always one or two people who are a bright light......they always make the work day so much better for everyone are are a joy to be around. God bless you April....keep on being you!

[@heatherhalloween974]

I love that her sister explained the rocking. It's very common, just not well understood