Benefits of speech therapy for autism

Autism is a developmental disability that usually shows up before age three. Autism may be linked with a wide range of traits. These include:

• Repetitive activities
• Extreme resistance to changes in daily routines
• Unusual responses to things such as touch

People with autism may have major problems with both speech and nonverbal communication. They may also find it very hard to interact socially. For these reasons, speech therapy is a central part of treatment for autism. Speech therapy can address a wide range of communication problems for people with autism.

What are the common speech and communication problems with autism?

Autism can affect speech, language development, and social communication in many ways.

Speech problems. A person with autism may:

• Not talk at all
• Utter grunts, cries, shrieks, or throaty, harsh sounds
• Hum or talk in a musical way
• Babble with word-like sounds
• Use foreign-sounding "words" or robotic-like speech
• Parrot or often repeat what another person says (called echolalia)
• Use the right phrases and sentences, but with an inexpressive tone of voice

About one in three people with autism has trouble producing speech sounds to effectively communicate with others. Their language is simply too hard to understand.

Communication problems. A person with autism may have one or more of these communication challenges:

• Trouble with conversational skills, which includes eye contact and gestures
• Trouble understanding the meaning of words outside the context where they were learned
• Memorisation of things heard without knowing what's been said
• Reliance on echolalia as the main way to communicate
• Little understanding of the meaning of words or symbols
• Lack of creative language

Because of these challenges, a child with autism must do more than learn how to speak. The child also has to learn how to use language to communicate. This includes knowing how to hold a conversation. It also includes tuning into both verbal and nonverbal cues -- such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language -- from other people.