Verbal and nonverbal communication
Communication difficulties
By age 3, most children have passed predictable milestones on the path to learning language; one of the earliest
is babbling. By his first birthday, a typical toddler says words, turns when he hears his name, points when he
wants a toy, and when offered something distasteful, makes it clear that the answer is “no.”
Some children diagnosed with ASD remain mute throughout their lives. Some infants who later show signs of ASD coo
and babble during the first few months of life, but they soon stop. Others may be delayed, developing language as
late as age 5 to 9. Some children may learn to use communication systems such as pictures or sign language.
Those who do speak often use language in unusual ways. They seem unable to combine words into meaningful sentences.
Some speak only single words, while others repeat the same phrase over andover. Some ASD children parrot what they
hear, a condition called echolalia. Although many children without ASD go through a stage where they repeat what
they hear, it normally passes by the time they are 3.
Some children only mildly affected may exhibit slight delays in language, or even seem to have precocious language
and unusually large vocabularies, but have great difficulty in sustaining a conversation. The “give and take” of
normal conversation is hard for them, although they often carry on a monologue on a favorite subject, giving no one
else an opportunity to comment. Another difficulty is often the inability to understand body language, tone of
voice, or “phrases of speech.”They might interpret a sarcastic expression such as “Oh, that’s just great” as
meaning it really IS great.
While it can be hard to understand what ASD children are saying, their body language is also difficult to
understand. Facial expressions, movements, and gestures rarely match what they are saying. Also, their tone of
voice fails to reflect their feelings. A high-pitched, sing-song, or flat,robot-like voice is common. Some children
with relatively good language skills speak like little adults, failing to pick up on the “kid-speak” that is common
in their peers.
Without meaningful gestures or the language to ask for things, people with ASD are at a loss to let others know
what they need. As a result, they may simply scream or grab what they want. Until they are shown better ways to
express their needs, ASD children do whatever they can to get through to others. As people with ASD grow up, they
can become more and more aware of their difficulties in understanding others and in being understood. As a result
they may become anxious or depressed.
People with Asperger syndrome may speak fluently but they may not take much notice of the reaction of the people
listening to them; they may talk on and on regardless of the listener’s interest they may appear insensitive to
their feelings.
Despite having good language skills, people with Asperger syndrome may sound over-precise or over-literal –
jokes can cause problems as can exaggerated language, turns of phrase and metaphors. A person with Asperger
syndrome may be confused or frightened by a statement like‘she bit my head off.’ In order to help a person with
Asperger syndrome to understand you, keep your sentences short – be clear and concise.
Verbal and nonverbal communication
~ communication difficulties
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