Speech Therapy Effective for Autistic Children

Children with autism live with a unique set of challenges. Two of the most common are verbal and nonverbal communication skills and the difficulty in social interaction. Speech therapy can address a wide range of communication problems for people with autism.

At Leap of Language, speech language pathologist Jessica Patrick will perform a thorough evaluation of your child and develop a customized treatment plan designed to stimulate overall language development and communicate in ways to develop healthy relationships.

Common speech difficulties may include:

• Not talk at all

• Utter grunts, cries, shrieks, or throaty, harsh sounds

• Babble with word-like sounds

• Unexpressive tone

• Problems producing speech sounds

• Lack of eye contact and gestures

• Memorization of things heard without knowing what's been said

• Little understanding of the meaning of words or symbols

Because of these challenges, a child with autism must do more than learn how to speak. The child also must 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 from other people -- such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language.

For the greatest success, people with diagnosed with ASD should begin speech therapy as early as possible. Autism spectrum disorder is usually evident before age 3, and language delays can be recognized as early as 18 months of age. It is very important to start speech therapy as early as possible, when it can have the greatest impact.

At Leap of Language, we’ll design individualized treatments that can help lessen the disabling isolation that may result from autism. We’re dedicated to helping your child enjoy a better quality of life – by being a greater part of it. For more information about the many services we provide, give us a call today.