introduced the character of Lily Montgomery (Leven Rambin) in 1993. However, it was the first time a soap had featured a diagnosis and the effects of said diagnosis. Higley said "We're telling the profound and life-altering story of a child with autism from his parents' point of view." The story focuses on Abe and Lexie's struggle to accept Theo's diagnoses "and ultimately, their ability to find life-affirming hope in the midst of learning how to live day to day with this disability." In an interview on NBC's Today, Higley revealed that she used dialogue from her real conversations with her husband Mark about their son. Renée Jones (Lexie), admitted she didn't know much about the condition or "the emotional toll that it takes on a family." James Reynolds (Abe), welcomed the story seeing it as chance to "showcase" what so many families go through. Jones said it also gives those viewers who have personal experience with autism the chance "to have what they're going through validated in some way." The producers wanted to tell the story from the diagnosis, to the reaction, and how Theo could eventually live a normal life. In story, Abe and Lexie notice Theo's lack of verbal communication and small vocabulary. Reynolds later explained, "Theo had 30 or 40 words in his vocabulary, where a child at that age should have 500 words or so." The parents also notice Theo doesn't make eye contact with them and doesn't interact with other children. The very outgoing Ransom loved to smile and interact with his cast mates, something that the character would have to keep to a minimum. However, the young actor was able to take direction very well. By the time Kyler Pettis took over the role, Theo has been living with autism for more than half his life. While Pettis keeps Theo's condition in mind, he made an effort to see "Theo as a person first" instead of some "autistic kid." This allowed Pettis portray Theo with "more humanity." Pettis described stepping into the role as a bit intimidating. "It was a scary process when I started filming because you can totally play this character so over-the-top, and get backlash for it." He further explained, "I didn’t look at Theo that way. I approached his story line, and got an understanding of autism as a social awkwardness and the social not connecting. I get that way