Although we’ve all heard of autism, not many of us know the true meaning of this word nor the implications of this disorder on those who have it. Autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability, impacts individuals socially, communication wise, and behaviorally. It is referred to as a spectrum disorder because the symptoms displayed, and their severity can vary from individual to individual. Hence, this disorder impacts everyone differently. As of currently, autism has no one specific cause. It is born of a combination of nonspecific genetic and environmental influences, and often appears early in development.

Not all children with ASD display communicative differences/delays as it depends on where they fall on the spectrum and the severity of their symptoms. Moreover, as previously manifested, this disorder manifests in different forms in different individuals. In general, though, autistic individuals tend to exist in a world separate from those that are "neurotypical" and can have difficulty communicating verbally, or socially. If an autistic individual is facing communicative differences, they might have trouble using speech or language, and may have problems with meaning and rhythm of words and sentences. Such differences can significantly impact their ability to interact with others and immerse themselves in our society.

Some of the communicative patterns that can be observed in these individuals are as follows: repetitive/rigid language, limited interests and exceptional abilities, uneven language development, and poor nonverbal communication skills. Some individuals with ASD will say nonsensical things in the middle of a conversation that don’t connect to the topic being discussed. Others could develop a habit of repeating what they’ve heard whether it be right after or at a later time. When it comes to holding conversations, some of these individuals can talk non-stop about something they’re interested in but find themselves unable to engage in a conversation about similar topics. The language development of autistic individuals is uneven in the sense that there is no predictable pattern to how it occurs. Most autistic individuals are able to develop speech and language skills, but not to the “normal” ability. They can develop exceptional vocabularies, but still lack the ability to comprehend what they read. Or they can have good memories but lack other language skills. Lastly, their nonverbal communication is delayed, or limited as they are often unable to catch onto or perform nonverbal cues. They could struggle with gesturing, eye contact, and giving meaning to their speech using nonverbal cues. In general, all these patterns could make these individuals feel misunderstood and frustrated when it comes to communicating.

In terms of resolving these communicative issues, there are a few approaches. The first step in any case is referral to speech-language pathologists (SLP), who are health professionals that treat speech, language, and voice disorders. The SLP can assess the individual’s speech and language skills, and then decide a treatment plan based on that. It is best to intervene as early as possible so that the communication skills can be improved upon over a prolonged period of time, reaping the most benefits. There is a greater chance for improving these communicative skills in younger children with ASD, and their parents, primary caregivers and other family members all play a crucial role. For older individuals, communication training focuses on basic communicative skills, and if possible advances to help them understand the purpose of communication. Lastly, the children with ASD that may never be able to develop these skills, focus is placed on other avenues of communication such as sign language, symbol systems etc.

Considering how prevalent this disorder is, and how significant of an impact it has on individuals’ lives, I believe that more research needs to be done on it. We need to allocate an adequate number of resources towards helping autistic youth develop their communication and language skills. In our daily lives, we should ensure that we are mindful of these individuals, and instead of avoiding them, we make an active effort to communicate with them. Communication and language skills, like any skill, can be improved upon only through practice. If everybody takes the time to engage in communication with autistic individuals, they will be able to work on bettering their skills.

I would just like to end by clarifying that none of this means that autistic individuals are incompetent, or any less than the regular person. As mentioned before, many of them have exceptional memories or vocabularies, and can deliver in-depth monologues about their topics of interest. Despite having these communicative deficits, they excel in other aspects of life or academics. Some autistic individuals have high emotional intelligence, and can tune into others’ emotions better than you and I.

Just because they struggle with communication doesn’t mean their mind isn’t brimming with fascinating ideas and inventions. Therefore, we should never see or treat autistic individuals as less than anyone else. Everyone has their own needs, and ways of communicating, and its about a societal response to accept, motivate and empower others.

References
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Autism spectrum disorder: Communication problems in children. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/autism-spectrum-disorder-communication-problems-children#:~:text=Some%20children%20with%20ASD%20may,rhythm%20of%20words%20and%20sentences.