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By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
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A mom has shared how she discovered one of her autistic son's hidden talents in the most beautiful way possible.
Katie Morris, from Clacton-on-Sea, England, is a mom of five. Three of her children have additional needs, including her 12-year-old son, Michael.
"Michael has high-functioning autism and global developmental delay (GDD)," Morris told Newsweek. "He is such a brave and strong boy."
Read More on Family & Parenting
High-functioning autism and GDD are both neurodevelopmental conditions, but they affect people in different ways.
High-functioning autism typically describes someone who is autistic, has average or above-average intelligence, and can communicate verbally, but may struggle with social interactions, sensory sensitivities, and changes to routine.
GDD refers to a child who is significantly delayed in two or more areas of development, such as speech, learning, movement, or daily living skills.
While some children may have both conditions, autism primarily affects how a person experiences and interacts with the world, whereas GDD involves broader delays across multiple developmental areas.
Though this means Michael faces more challenges than most boys his age, Morris said he "will always try to overcome obstacles."
Art has been an effective outlet for Michael.
"He loves arts and crafts, although he has to be in the right mood," Morris said.
Research suggests that arts and crafts can provide significant benefits for people with autism.
A 2022 scoping review published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy found that creative arts interventions, including drawing, painting, and coloring, helped improve social interaction, communication, and emotional development in children with autism.
The study concluded that regular participation in creative activities can support important developmental and social skills while providing an enjoyable form of self-expression.
Morris has long recognized the benefits of arts and crafts for her son, but it was not until he brought home a painting of a whale he had created at school that she realized it was more than just therapeutic: Michael was talented.
In a video posted to her TikTok account, @sunshine.falls, Morris shared a clip from the day Michael, then 11, brought home his dazzling whale painting.
"He doesn't like to draw at home," she wrote alongside the clip. "Didn't even know he could draw."
Morris said she was "amazed" when her son first showed her the picture.
"I asked him if he did it and he nonchalantly said, 'Yes, of course,'" she said. "I actually cried because it was so beautiful. I was so proud of him."
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The picture left people on social media equally stunned.
"It's amazing," one user wrote.
"Like an album cover," another said.
"So talented," a third added.
Others offered advice on how to nurture Michael's talent most effectively.
"Let him be in control. Provide the paint and paper, that's all," one user wrote. "If I felt pushed or pressured by competition as a kid, I would just stop doing it."
Morris responded directly to the suggestion.
"Oh, I like this. I'll make it accessible. I feel terrible that I've not done it before, but he previously showed no interest in art, and I was so shocked to see this."
A year after that discovery, Michael continues to explore his creativity. Morris said he has gone on to make sculptures and even a few refrigerator magnets for the family home.
She hopes Michael's work serves as a reminder that "children with autism can achieve just like any other children."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and Gray R. Thomas
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