Thank you both for this I am thinking this idea will work and help him with some of the frustration of not being able to talk. I will read on this some more and find the best way to do it. thank you again.
The "chart" that Heatherm4 discusses is a good idea, and is referred to as PECs - Picture Exchange Communication system.
The idea is that you give your brother a series of pictures that give him the ability to communicate what he is thinking of.
At the start, it will be very basic. Training him will consist of having a few things in front of him that he likes, and when he reaches for one, instead make him grab an icon picture of that object and hand it to you. Once he hands it to you, give him the object. He will quickly pair the idea together that when he wants something, he has to hand you something first.
Then he will be ready to move to the next step where he has to travel to give you the icon. You sit a few feet away with whatever he wants, and his PEC icon is next to him. He has to pick it up, and bring it to you, and you give him the object.
Then he is ready to start discrimination trials. He can discriminate between one object and another. So for instance, if he hands you an icon for chips, you offer him chips in one hand, and a cookie in another hand. He should take the chips. If he reaches for the cookie, pull it back and say, "These are the chips", handing him the chips.
Its a long arduous task, but will help him communicate and be less frustrated.
I work with a little boy that is autistic and just turned 12 years old. Many of them are unique in what they can do, understand and communicate.
I started working with him almost 3 years ago and he's come a long way with communication. He still cannot form complete sentances but when I first started with him he couldn't communicate anything and would tantrum because of it. Now he can communicate more of what he wants. He has gained all this from one on one time with a worker 4 days a week for 2 hour sessions. You could always teach him words in a musical way.
I would say that the best thing you can do is make a chart. One that says "I want" and then make pictures of common things that he could ask for. Food, a book, movie, computer, outside...etc.
In order for him to find an interest in learning these things would be to use incentives. For example...make a sticker chart and for so many stickers he gets...he can get something he likes.
Those are just some ideas I could throw at you. It is really difficult but the more he can communicate...the less he will hurt himself and he will not be as frustrated. It takes a lot of dedication and don't give up. The earlier you teach him...chances of it all sinking in are higher!