Communication Difficulties in Autism

1. Communication Difficulties in Autism Hilary Kanaris Speech and Language Therapist MRCSLT. ACE (AUTISM)

2. ESSENTIAL PRE-REQUISITES • Something to communicate about - an awareness of ones needs and concepts • A means for communication - either spoken language or some alternative • A reason for communicating - an environment which is responsive but does not anticipate every need

3. Main reasons why communication is difficult People who have Autism show…… • Little motivation to communicate • Little or no shared understanding of the world • Find turn-taking difficult • Do not understand Social Timing • Poor pragmatic skills • Unable to use their language flexibly or creatively • Lack of social use of language • Non-verbal communication is impaired

6. Pragmatic Skills • An ability to take into account what the listener already knows • Ability to infer the speaker’s intent when listening to someone • Knowing the ‘how’ ‘when’ ‘where’ and ‘why’ to use language appropriately • Knowing not to interrupt conversations

7. Non Verbal Communication • Facial Expressions • Eye Contact • Body Language • Pointing • Use of gestures • Turn Taking • Listening Skills

8. COMMON CHARACTERISTICS • Heavily dependent on “echolalia” • Use of repetitive & stereotyped speech • Monotonous or repetitive intonation • Rigid use of language • Literal interpretation of language • Pedantic & over-precise use of language • Abnormal and eccentric use of language • Difficulty with pronouns

9. How to help Communication • Rather than merely teaching words (Vocabulary) we should also be teaching: • Form - Saying the words • Context - with different people, places and occasions • Function - request, comment, refusal, • Make sure we only teaching one of these at a time

10. General rules Understand how the person thinks Start from where the person is now Be flexible! Use their interests Teach new skills over and over again Teach new things one to one Cut down on external distractions Introduce structure

11. Helping Communication • Create the right conditions • Develop early social play • Join in with them -imitate them, wait for them to imitate you • Encourage and develop “Echolalia” • Teach pointing • Use Visual Timetables

12. Helping Communication • Get their attention FIRST! (Use their name at beginning) • Reduce your language • Use visual clues to reinforce speech • Break tasks down into small achievable steps • Make it motivating! • Wait up to 15 seconds for response

13. Strategies for helping communication • Use a ‘Minimal Speech’ approach • Use a ‘Proximal Communication’ approach • Avoid focussing on abstract terms • Back up speech with a visual clue • Use rhythm, singing and music • Make it fun • Avoid too much prompting

14. “During the last couple of years, I have become more aware of a kind of electricity that goes on between people. I have observed that when people are together and having a good time, their speech and laughter follow a rhythm….I have always had a hard time fitting in with this rhythm and I usually interrupt conversations without realising my mistake.” • Temple Grandin (1995)