When Shweta Muneshwar’s son, Vihaan, was born in July 2016, she never imagined that motherhood would take her on a journey filled with sleepless nights, delayed milestones, epilepsy and, eventually, an autism diagnosis. At three and a half, Vihaan was diagnosed with autism. Today, at 10, he is at the heart of a journey that has transformed his mother’s life and given her a new purpose.
Like many special parents, Shweta initially struggled with fear, uncertainty and countless questions about her son’s future. But instead of letting the diagnosis define their lives, she chose to find answers. She immersed herself in therapies, learnt about autism and worked tirelessly to understand Vihaan’s needs.
An MSc in Physics graduate, Shweta went on to become an RCI-approved special educator, autism coach, parent counsellor and author. The 43-year-old mother of two from Noida is now the founder of Speaking Mindz, an autism parent-empowerment organisation reaching thousands of families worldwide. Her journey shows how a mother’s search for answers for her child can become a mission to empower countless other parents.
Also Read: The Mother I Became After My Child’s Autism Diagnosis
In this conversation with All About Inclusive, she opens up about her journey, the lessons motherhood has taught her and why no parent should have to navigate autism alone.
Question) There was a time when you spent sleepless nights wondering why your baby cried endlessly and why he seemed so different from other children. What would you say to the mother who is lying awake tonight with the same unanswered questions?
Answer: I would tell her that she is not alone. I remember those sleepless nights when I had more questions than answers. I kept wondering why my child was different, why he was struggling with things that seemed so natural for other children, and whether I was doing something wrong as a mother.
Today, when I look back, I realise that those questions were not a sign of weakness. They were the beginning of my journey.
To every mother lying awake tonight, I would say: please don’t blame yourself. Your child does not need a perfect mother; your child needs a mother who keeps learning, observing and believing in possibilities. You may not have all the answers today. That is okay. Start with one small step. Understand your child, celebrate small progress and never underestimate the power of your presence.
Also Read: Waiting for Your Child to Speak? A Speech Therapist on the Signs Parents Should Not Miss
Question) From searching for answers to epilepsy, autism and therapies, you often found yourself feeling lost. Was there ever a moment when you felt, “I don’t know if I can do this anymore”? What helped you keep going?
Answer: Yes, there were moments when I felt completely overwhelmed. There were medical concerns, the diagnosis, therapies, new terminology, uncertainty about the future and the constant feeling that I needed to find the right answer for my child. At times, it felt as if I was trying to understand an entirely new world while simultaneously trying to be strong for my child.
What kept me going was Vihaan himself. Every small achievement became a reason to continue. A new word, a new skill, a new response that others might consider small became huge milestones for us.
I also slowly understood that I did not need to solve everything at once, I only needed to take the next step.
Question) COVID stopped Vihaan’s therapies just when you had moved cities hoping to give him a better future. When all the professional support disappeared, how did a scared and confused mother slowly become her child’s strongest teacher?
Answer: COVID became a turning point in my life. We had moved cities with the hope of providing Vihaan with better opportunities, but suddenly therapies stopped and the professional support we depended on was no longer available. Initially, I was scared. But necessity pushed me to learn.
I started observing Vihaan more carefully. I began learning about communication, behaviour, language development, sensory needs and teaching strategies. I started trying activities at home and learning from every response he gave me. Slowly, I realised something very important: a therapist may work with a child for a limited amount of time, but a parent is with the child every single day.
That does not replace professional intervention, but it showed me the incredible power of an empowered parent. I was no longer simply waiting for therapy sessions. I was learning how to create learning opportunities throughout our everyday life.
Also Read: Prashant Issar’s Ishaara: A Restaurant Where Communication Goes Beyond Words
Question) You made mistakes, tried different things and spent hours every day learning about your child. When did you realise that you didn’t have to know everything to begin helping your child you simply had to start learning?
Answer: I think that realisation came gradually. In the beginning, I believed that I needed to know everything before I could help my child. But motherhood taught me something completely different. I made mistakes. Some strategies worked and some didn’t. Sometimes I misunderstood Vihaan’s behaviour. Sometimes I expected something from him before he was ready. But every mistake taught me something.
I realised that you don’t have to be an expert to begin. You have to be willing to observe, learn, adapt and try again. That philosophy eventually became one of the foundations of my professional work as well.
Question) You say Vihaan gave birth to the purpose of your life. How did a journey that once filled you with fear and uncertainty help you discover a strength and a person within yourself that you never knew existed?
Answer: Before Vihaan, I had never imagined that my life would take this direction.
The beginning of our journey was filled with uncertainty and fear. But somewhere along the way, I stopped asking only, “Why is this happening to us?” and started asking, “What can I learn from this, and how can I use what I learn to help my child?” That change completely transformed me.
Vihaan didn’t simply teach me how to understand him. He taught me patience, resilience, observation and the courage to keep going even when the outcome was uncertain.
I often say that Vihaan gave birth to the purpose of my life because my personal journey as his mother eventually became the foundation of my professional mission—to empower parents so that they don’t feel as helpless and alone as I once did.
Also Read: Her Speech Was Delayed, Not Her Potential: Story Of 10-year-old Sanvika
Question) Today, parents come to you because they see the progress you created with Vihaan. But behind that progress were years of tears, doubt, hard work and never giving up. What do you wish people understood about the invisible journey of a special parent?
Answer: I wish people understood that a child’s visible progress often has an invisible story behind it.
People may see a child speaking a sentence, becoming more independent, participating in an activity or achieving something at school. What they may not see are the countless hours of practice, repeated attempts, sleepless nights, emotional struggles and small steps that came before that moment.
A special parent is often working quietly in the background—learning, planning, practising, observing and celebrating progress that may appear very small to someone else. I would also like society to understand that progress is not always linear.
Every child has their own pace and their own journey. Instead of comparing children, we should learn to recognise and celebrate their individual progress.
Question) You once joined parent support groups looking for someone to guide you. What would you tell the special parent who is still waiting for a miracle, but hasn’t yet realised that their own strength could become their child’s biggest turning point?
Answer: I would tell that parent: don’t wait for a miracle to begin. Begin with what you can do today. I know what it feels like to search for someone who will tell you exactly what to do. I was once that mother. But over time, I understood that there is enormous strength in an informed and empowered parent.
You don’t need to know everything. You don’t need to have all the answers. You simply need to understand your child a little better each day and keep moving forward. A diagnosis does not define the entire future of a child.
And a parent should never underestimate the difference they can make through consistent learning, support, patience and acceptance. My journey began with searching for help for my own child. Today, my greatest purpose is to make sure that another parent doesn’t have to feel as lost and alone as I once did.
