Family bonds are about more than just eye contact This drawing is observational.  There is a palpable connection between the figures, a mother and her son, but he is not making eye contact with her.  The little boy is autistic, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he is not engaged.  He was playing with his mother, running up to the climbing frame and then seeking her reassurance as to whether this is a safe way back down.  Her body language is expressive, his is not.  He may not be looking at her face, but he is absolutely aware of where she is.  In this drawing I have sought to capture their connection, while acknowledging how “double empathy” difficulties affect communication within autistic : non-autistic relationships.