LPH58: Heather Burroughs Fought for Her Daughter’s Voice

What if your child had thoughts, opinions, and intelligence far beyond what the world believed, but no reliable way to communicate them?

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Heather Burroughs shares her family’s journey through autism, rare genetic disorders, non-speaking communication, service dogs, and disability advocacy. Heather is the Director of Advocacy and Education at AutismUp and co-founder of the Finding Common Ground podcast. She opens up about raising multiple neurodivergent children, fighting for her daughter Devyn’s rights in school, and why families often have to push systems to see what their children are truly capable of.

Heather also shares how spelling to communicate changed her understanding of her daughter’s inner world and why she is now fighting for the Communication Bill of Rights in New York. This conversation is a powerful reminder that lived experience is real expertise and that families should never stop believing in their child’s potential.

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