Derbyshire mum becomes social media star after learning how to communicate with Down's son
A mum whose son has Down's Syndrome and is non-verbal has become a social media star after learning to communicate with him through a rare language programme.
Tasha Allen has finally been able to communicate with 15-year-old TJ after mastering Makaton, a form of language which uses signs, symbols and speech.
Tasha, 33, has shared her journey of learning Makaton and has over 360,000 followers on Tiktok, with her videos regularly being viewed millions of times a week all over the world.
Tasha, from Derby, is also raising awareness of children with special education needs and the help they need to face challenges in life.
Makaton is different to sign language as it uses symbols, black and white drawings which show what words mean.
It is used in the hit CBeebies show, Something Special.
Tasha is finally able to speak to TJ fluently and has got followers from the US, Australia and New Zealand.
She said: "I finally have a bond with my son and it's all through Makaton.
"It's changed his life and mine. Finally, after all of these years I can communicate with him. I can understand his problems and what he needs.
"It has transformed everything.
"It is not common at all though. I want to raise so much more awareness of it.
"I think it needs to be taught in schools.
"Not everyone with a disability who is non-verbal can do sign language.
"So Makaton is what is needed. I've got so much support on Tiktok and people who have started to learn it as well.
"I want to campaign for it to be so much more accessible.
"If I can learn it, anybody can. It has made such an amazing difference to our lives and it can many others as well.
"One day at a time I want to change the world with my little man."
Tasha said TJ spent a lot of his first years in hospital.
She was told by doctors that he would never walk or talk and would be lucky to reach teenage years.
She added: "He has proved everyone wrong."
Before learning Makaton, Tasha said it was a "big challenge" to communicate with him.
She added: "When he was around nine months old, he went to nursery and we tried basic sign language.
"But I had no idea what he was trying to tell me."
Tasha discovered Makaton through music and it changed their lives.
She added: "It's been absolutely amazing. It's changed everything for the better."