Introduction
Autism is a developmental disorder that typically impairs a child’s ability to communicate and display appropriate social skills, while also causing repetitive tendencies. This condition is severely incapacitating and usually becomes evident during the first three years of a child’s life. Autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder due to the wide range of symptoms it can cause, including learning problems and various social disabilities. These unusual tendencies may occur independently or be associated with other issues such as mental retardation or seizures. Autism is a developmental disability that affects children regardless of their race or economic status, and it often impairs their ability to learn.
Globally, autism is the third most prevalent developmental disorder, affecting one child per every 500 children. It is predominantly found in boys, with only 20% of autistic children being girls.
Previously, there was no emphasis on diagnosing autism, leaving many children frustrated with their inability to communicate and interact with others. According to Bowen, most autistic children have normal or even higher IQ levels and can attend regular schools and succeed in acquiring normal jobs” (Bowen, 66). The distinguishing factor is that these children are unable to express themselves and socially mingle with others due to their condition.
Autism cannot be diagnosed through specific tests. Instead, doctors rely on observing and evaluating the child’s behavior. The patient’s history, including developmental history, provided by parents or caregivers is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. An internationally established criterion is used for diagnosis. Genetic tests and other medical procedures are typically only used for confirmation purposes to rule out other potential causes responsible for the child’s behavior.
Autism can be detected at birth or may occur during a child’s development. A child may display typical developmental patterns and then experience a decline in verbal and social skills between the ages of one and two. In cases where a child is born with autism, signs are typically noticeable by age one. Autism often co-occurs with other developmental disorders such as mental retardation and hyperactivity, which can also be addressed. However, autistic traits are what typically prevent children from living normal lives (Dale & Ingram, 138).
There has been much debate regarding the differences between mental retardation and autism. The main distinguishing factor is that children with mental retardation exhibit impairments in all areas of development including social, cognitive, and motor skills whereas autistic children are primarily affected in areas related to social skills.
Autism has no major cause. However, it is associated with factors that may lead to structural and functional alterations of the central nervous system, such as bacterial or viral infections. In addition, autism has been linked to certain genetic structures after researchers discovered familial aggregation. Currently, almost 10% of all autistic cases can be attributed to similar genetic composition. Unfortunately, there is no cure for autism as researchers have not identified a major isolated cause.
Due to this fact, there is no sure way of preventing it. However, scientists have documented significant success rates that depend on early intervention. Early intervention is necessary to ensure that necessary measures are taken to aid the child in the best possible and most effective ways (DeMyer 82).
The only way parents can ensure their children live functional lives is by providing them with the best structured training programs that teach effective communication skills. These programs also focus on training parents to communicate with their autistic child. The success of such interventions depends on early diagnosis, making it crucial to identify autism as soon as possible. If an autistic child’s skill profile is appropriate and they can interact appropriately with other children, they can be integrated into ordinary schools. However, teaching methodologies must be adapted to address their specific needs since the learning styles of autistic children differ from those of ordinary children. It’s worth noting that 30% to 50% of autistic children do not use speech, and doctors cannot predict when an autistic child will start speaking.
The development of speech in autistic children is not clearly understood. Some autistic children may have other physical disabilities that hinder their ability to speak, while others do not. It is important to rule out these disabilities to ensure the correct cause is addressed. In some cases, these children may have been speaking earlier but then abruptly lost their speech. However, researchers have observed that if autistic children are brought up in accepting environments where people are aware of effective communication with them, they are more likely to develop speech and other means of communication (Dale & Ingram, 142).
Children with autism tend to prefer activities like rocking or spinning over other types of play. According to DeMyer, their preferences can vary – sometimes they may repeat the same activity for hours on end, while at other times they may seem hyperactive and want to engage in as many activities as possible (DeMyer, 96).
Thesis statement.
Autistic children are capable of building upon skills and living productive lives as adults. This is only possible through appropriate and early interventions that are well-focused to address their specific needs and assist them in living relatively independent lives. Communication problems are prevalent in most autistic children, but speech therapy can be appropriately directed to enable the child to interact with other people. Speech therapy has been successfully used with some autistic children, but it’s important that the speech therapist employed has experience working with autistic children to ensure they understand how these individuals relate to others.
Although conventional methods used in speech therapy are mostly ineffective for autistic children, this is because they normally focus on speech impairment caused by physical problems. An autistic child will greatly benefit from interventions in speech therapy that focus on effective communication skills. Speech therapy should not only teach the child how to speak but also how to use their acquired speech to communicate socially.
Typical Speech Development
A child’s normal speech development can be monitored from around three months, although the process usually starts in infancy. A child develops speech by interacting with their environment and learning through mimicking other people making sounds in their immediate surroundings. According to Bogdashina, this speech becomes the tenet on which the child bonds with people and forms interpersonal relationships” (Bogdashina, 235). If there are any problems in a child’s speech development, they should be addressed early to ensure success in their upbringing.
Speech development should begin in infancy and can continue until the age of six or seven. Doctors use a normal spectrum to assess a child’s speech development and rule out any developmental disorders (Dale & Ingram, 138). Some children may lag behind this typical trend without any issues, known as late developers.
Newborn babies cannot make speech sounds because their vocal cords are not fully developed. By the age of two to three months, the baby’s vocal cords and oral muscles have developed, allowing them to control their sounds. As a result, babies laugh more and make sounds like goo” at the back of their mouths. At this stage, babies can recognize different voices in their surroundings and distinguish tones in caregivers’ voices.
At four to six months, babies can make better sounds that resemble speech. They have greater control of their oral muscles and experiment by forming words and strange syllables. Additionally, they yell, squeal, and make other sounds. Babies can also respond to their name and other human sounds with visual cues and by turning their head when someone speaks.
After six months to one year, the baby starts babbling. This is when the child repeats syllables in continuous sequences. These syllabic utterances have no particular meaning, and the baby may view it as play (Dale & Ingram, 146). At this stage, doctors say that the child is putting their oral motor skills into practice for later use during actual speech.
From the age of one, children begin attempting to pronounce full words and demonstrate an awareness of the function of speech, exhibiting inflection. While they may attach strings of sounds similar to those heard in adult conversations, it is mainly baby gibberish. However, these statements have meaning attached to them and parents can recognize specific words that their babies use to imply certain meanings (Bogdashina, 244). Between one and a half years old and three years old, babies go through rapid speech development with an increase in vocabulary. At one and a half years old, babies typically have a vocabulary of five to twenty words. They demonstrate a lot of echolalia and are able to follow simple directions and commands.
At two years old, a baby is able to name different objects in their surroundings and exhibit an ability to use at least two different prepositions, such as on” or “under.” At this age, babies simplify most hard words or long sentences by omitting word endings or dropping syllables in an attempt to make pronunciation easier. They can also simplify consonant blends and substitute harder-to-pronounce words for simpler ones. The volume and pitch of the child’s voice are uncontrolled and often too high. More than two-thirds of the child’s total speech should be comprehensible. The rhythm of their speech is usually very poor, but they start using pronouns accurately to refer to themselves. Most babies also produce sounds that should be uttered from the front of the mouth at the back of their mouth temporarily; however, they usually outgrow it by five years old.
From the age of three, a child begins attempting harder vocabulary and continues practicing until they are seven to eight years old. At three years old, the child starts using plurals and incorporating past tenses into their speech. They also venture into longer sentences and exhibit a vocabulary of more than nine hundred words. The child can utter 90% coherent and audible sentences and is able to portray reasoning by relating different experiences. They can answer harder questions such as their name and the names of their parents.
After four years, the child has extensive verbalizations and an intensive pool of vocabulary. They can understand the difference between normal colors and often use their imagination. The child also tends to repeat words and common phrases frequently. This behavior continues until they turn five, when they start using descriptive words that were previously unused. All vowels and consonants are utilized in speech, with a lot of adjectives and adverbs being used (Lynch & Fox, 89). The child can describe time broadly and has a very intensive vocabulary.
From six to eight years of age, children enter the polishing stage. After acquiring the fundamental skills of speech, they can now relate various aspects and associations with their environment. Additionally, they can provide in-depth descriptions of objects and situations while expressing their feelings adequately (Lynch & Fox, 104). Children are capable of interacting with both peers and adults in their surroundings. They exhibit minimal or no repetition when speaking and have control over the pitch and volume of their voice; thus, they can whisper or scream at will.
Speech and communication problems are common in children with autism. These difficulties can range from delayed language development to a complete lack of verbal communication. Some children with autism may have difficulty understanding nonverbal cues or using gestures to communicate. Others may repeat words or phrases over and over again, a behavior known as echolalia.
An autistic child may experience difficulties with speech, language, and communication. The extent of these issues varies depending on the child’s social and intellectual abilities. To address these challenges effectively, it is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis as early as possible. Parents and caregivers can help by familiarizing themselves with typical speech development in children and using general guidelines to evaluate their child’s progress (Ball & Kent, 226).
Severely autistic children are unable to speak, and most of them never develop speech. Other children with less severe autism may develop speech but still exhibit various problems using language for communication. They may have unusual tendencies to repeat whatever is said to them or specific words repeatedly. Additional symptoms include referring to themselves as you” when asking for something and only speaking when asking for something, not expressing their feelings.
Many children with autism also exhibit sensitivity to different sounds or touch. Ball & Kent emphasize that these children may also selectively block out certain sounds or touches” (Ball & Kent, 242).
Some children are diagnosed with Kanner-type autism and typically exhibit dysfunctional verbal language. They rely on memorized phrases, often from songs, jingles, and advertisements, which they utter without understanding the real meaning (Kilminster, 35).
If a child is not taught speech skills, they often use repetitive language patterns. Some autistic children may speak using single words or echolalia. This behavior can persist into adulthood, and certain songs have been found to calm them down when they are agitated.
Most autistic children exhibit only minor deviations from the normal development pattern. However, some may have a wide and intensive vocabulary with a normal speech development pattern, but they struggle to develop conversation skills.
Most of these children carry on monologues about their favorite topics without giving the audience a chance to join in (Kilminster, 89). Their conversations exclude any input from others, making it difficult for them to relate or hold conversations with their peers.
The body language of children with autism is often misunderstood by those without autism. Facial expressions, gestures, and other movements may be easily understood by other autistics, but can be difficult for non-autistic individuals to interpret due to their unique nature. Additionally, the tone and pitch of their voice corresponds with their current emotions.
All of these communication problems can lead to feelings of anger. When an autistic child is unable to accurately convey their emotions, they may become frustrated and ultimately resort to panicking, screaming, or grabbing what they originally wanted. These inappropriate actions are simply an attempt to make their feelings and requests known.
Autistic children exhibit problems with the meaning of sentences and words. They can also have difficulties with the rhythm of words and sentences. Additionally, some autistic children have poor attention spans for things that do not interest them, but they may stare at something that interests them for long periods of time.
Speech therapy with autistic children
For an autistic child to receive speech therapy, they must exhibit impairment in their social interaction skills. This includes the inability to use ordinary nonverbal cues such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expressions, and normal responses of body postures. Trevarthen & Aitken (217) indicate that in addition to this, the child must show an inability to form social interactions with their peers and a lack of initiative to share their emotions. The child must also have communication impairment characterized by a long delay or total absence of spoken language.
The child in question must also display a lack of other compensatory attempts to communicate such as the gestures normally exhibited by deaf children. For those children who are able to use speech, they cannot initiate normal conversation with other children or even adults.
There are various functions of speech therapy. It is important to initiate speech therapy for autistic children as early as possible when the problem is detected. The therapist should always relate the therapy to practical aspects of the child’s life, making it relevant and beneficial for them. As communication develops between the child and therapist, it’s essential to increase the frequency of speech therapy sessions. Additionally, emphasis should be placed on teaching skills that can be applied in real-life situations.
There is an option to have therapy either in the therapist’s office or in the child’s home. Having sessions within the child’s home has benefits such as ensuring that the child is in a familiar environment and it takes less time to ease them into the therapy session.
Speech therapy for an autistic child can be non-verbal, focusing mainly on sign language. This entails the use of gestures, facial expressions, and body language. The therapist may also use generalized imitations by forming specific words with their mouth to encourage the child to attempt similar words. These two methods are simplistic and widely encouraged for children under three years old.
More complex methods include the picture exchange communication system that incorporates visual aids to facilitate communication. The therapist may also encourage conversation skills by helping the child develop their vocabulary using augmentative and alternative communication skills. Several cues are used, ranging from simple pictures to simple words that portray meaning (Trevarthen & Aitken, 217).
If a child only has difficulty in conversations, the therapist focuses on providing them with easy-to-understand communication examples. Pictorial story scripts may be incorporated into therapy sessions as interactive activities involving the participation of the child.
The therapist will also use social pragmatics to help the child understand when social communication is appropriate. The child will be trained on when to greet people and how to exhibit other social etiquette skills. This training also focuses on establishing relationships between these children and other people in order to form emotional connections.
Speech therapy is ideal for teaching children how to use abstract words and concepts to communicate with others. According to Losquadro, playful interaction is crucial to the development of speech” (Losquadro, 79). This area can be particularly challenging for autistic children. However, continuous and objective speech therapy has been shown to improve communication abilities in these children. Early initiation of speech therapy can help autistic children successfully interact with others in their environment, facilitating their learning process and social skills. Ultimately, this leads to functional and relatively independent lives within society.
References
Bogdashina, O. (2005). Communication Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp. 212-280.
Bowen C. Developmental Phonological Disorders. Melbourne: ACER Publishers, 2006, pp. 50-100.
DeMyer K. Parents and Children in Autism. Michigan: University of Michigan, 2007, pp. 80-125.
Kilminster, M. (2006). Articulation development in children aged three to nine years. Melbourne: Croswell Publishers.
Lynch, J.I. and Fox, D.R. (2002). Developing Speech and Language. Oregon: CC Publications, pp. 85-120.
M. Ball and R. Kent’s book, The New Phonologies and Developments in Clinical Linguistics,” was published by Singular Publishers in California in 1998. The book covers topics from pages 200 to 266.
Philip S. Dale and David Ingram’s book, Child Language: An International Perspective,” was published by University Park Press in New York in 2008. The book covers topics from page 135 to page 230.
Tara Losquadro’s book, Why Motor Skills Matter: Improve Your Child’s Physical Development to Enhance Learning and Self-esteem,” published by McGraw-Hill Professional in 2004, explores the importance of motor skills in a child’s physical development. The book provides insights on how improving a child’s motor skills can enhance their learning abilities and boost their self-esteem. (Pages 70-89)
Trevarthen C. and Kenneth J. Aitken authored Children with Autism: Diagnosis and Interventions to Meet Their Needs.” The book was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in London in 1998, spanning from page 215 to 350.
