It is often asked quietly, with worry and hope all at once.
The truth is, every child with autism is different and develops at their own pace. As a result, it is difficult to predict when or how spoken language will emerge. But what we do know is this: there are many evidence-based strategies that can help children build communication skills and meaningful progress is more attainable compared to what parents initially think.
Some children start speaking later than expected. Some go on to hit their developmental milestones but later regress. Some acquire language as scripts that others used to communicate with them. Some are fluent speakers.
Others communicate best using a combination of speech and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), such as picture systems or speech-generating devices.
The goal is not simply “getting a child to talk.” The goal is helping your child communicate effectively, confidently, and meaningfully.
Within the Autism Partnership Method (APM®), communication is taught through different areas of development, depending on what each child needs most at that moment.
Children typically learn to speak by absorbing language from their environment. They listen to sounds, watch mouth movements which eventually leads to some babbling and playing with different sounds. They are more likely to communicate when they enjoy interacting with the people around them.
This is why our therapists spend time building rapport, understanding what motivates your child, and making interactions enjoyable. When the child feels more at ease with another person, or finds them fun, they become more willing to take risks with their communication. The comfort reduces the pressure to perform allowing natural curiosity to drive their desire to share.
Learning to speak is can be challenging for the child. It has to feel meaningful and worthwhile. When a child views language as a tool for connection rather than a chore, they are more receptive and likely to repeat it again.
Many children first learn to imitate body movements, facial expressions and gestures before attempting words. Adults would mimic sounds that a baby makes naturally and that’s how a child learns by imitating those sounds back. Over time, a child builds confidence to imitate those sounds and eventually words and phrases.
Without imitation, every new word has to be learned from scratch, so this becomes an important building block for speech development.
This is why many early speech programmes focus heavily on requesting, especially for things around their needs and wants such as food, toys, songs, activities or places.
This is very motivating for the child to understand the power of communication as it provides them with an immediate reward for communicating. This naturally encourages them to try again in the future.
In autism intervention, therapists often use a method called pairing where they build positive experiences with the child through activities they do together. They may engage in preferred activities or toys, play the child’s favourite games or follow the child’s lead. Over time, this increases the child’s interest in listening and engaging with the therapist leading to more enjoyment in participating and communicating with them.
In simple terms: We want to become someone your child enjoys communicating with.
Parents play an incredibly important role in communication development.
Here are some simple ways to encourage speech at home:
Sometimes five seconds of patient silence can create more communication than repeating the same prompt several times.
Many children benefit from AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), including:
Research consistently shows that AAC does not prevent children from learning to speak. In many cases, it actually supports language development by reducing frustration and increasing communication opportunities.
Communication development can take time, and progress is rarely perfectly smooth or predictable. The small moments matter, such as a sound or gesture they make, eye contact, pointing or even reaching towards another person. All of these are indications towards meaningful steps forward.
With the right support, children with autism can continue building communication skills over time, not just requesting but across other communication types such as labelling or commenting on things in the environment or responding to questions.
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Victoria Tan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a Masters of Education in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Endicott College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Washington.
Victoria has worked at Autism Partnership since 2015 and has experience working with children of varying age groups (ages 2-17) in one-on-one therapy sessions and in group settings. She has also been a school shadow-aide in various mainstream schools where she had to collaborate with both the school and the family to ensure a smooth transition for the child. Additionally, she has provided parent and helper training which guides caregivers in managing their child’s behavior in the community and at home.
As a Case Supervisor, Victoria manages and designs individualized education programs, supervises, leads and guides her teams as well as provides caregiver and staff training.
Contact us today to learn more about evidence-based autism treatment and individualised ABA therapy programs.
Written by Reshani Satharasinghe, Clinical Director of Autism Partnership Singapore Over the years, I have met many parents who come to me with the same question: “What is the difference between Autistic Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome?” Some parents tell me their child was diagnosed with Asperger’s, not autism. Others hear from friends or online sources […]
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