Communication skills in the
person with ASD vary from non-verbal to highly verbal. Remember, Autism is a SPECTRUM
disorder and no two people on the Spectrum will share the exact same
characteristics.
People on the lower-functioning
end of the spectrum may be non-verbal. They
may or may not use gestures such as pointing to get the things they desire or
to communicate with others. Sometimes
basic sign language can be used to teach communication skills, as well as a
system that uses pictures to make requests and other assistive
technologies. See the
section on “Treatment” to read more about these devices.
Echolalia. Echolalia. Echolalia. This is the repeating of phrases
or words without necessarily understanding or assigning meaning to
them. Some with
Autism also memorize and recite lines from movies, cartoons, or songs. While this is a sign of memorization
skills, it has little communication value as the person typically doesn’t apply
meaning to their words.
A typical person may not be
able to recognize communication deficits in the higher-functioning person with
Autism because often the person is able to communicate with words and may even
have a large and well-developed vocabulary. They may have a “little
professor” or “monotonous” tone of voice when speaking. In addition, they may speak with a
volume that is too loud or too soft for the situation.
Conversational skills, such as
taking turns in conversations, knowing when a conversation partner is no longer
interested in the subject matter, or reading facial expressions and body
language, may be impaired in the person with Autism.
It is often hard for the person
with Autism to express their feelings or “find their words.” It may take him or her longer to
process into words what they are feeling or thinking, and it also may take
longer to process and make sense of the things they hear.
Remember, communication skills
in those with ASD vary from person to person. You should not let a person’s
communication struggles prevent you from communicating. Instead, seek ways to understand the
person with Autism and have patience when delivering your message.
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