Autism Communication Strategies: Helping Autistic Children Improve Communication Skills
Communication is a foundational aspect of human interactions and relationships, helping to foster connection and further understanding. For autistic children who experience challenges in verbal and social communication, learning how to communicate effectively is essential to improving their social and cognitive development. That’s why it’s so important, if you’re responsible for caring for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), that you’re familiar with some autism communication strategies.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some common autism communication problems, and explore a variety of strategies to help parents, caregivers, and teachers of autistic children improve their communication skills.
Autism Communication Problems
While some children with autism spectrum disorder are very skilled communicators, others can experience challenges that will vary depending on the individual. A few examples include:
Mimicking or repeating other people’s words and phrases
Avoiding eye contact in social situations
Failing to read social cues
Talking obsessively about a single subject
Speaking in a flat or monotone voice
Repeating words without meaning in an unusual tone (echolalia)
Using made-up words
Confusing pronouns (i.e., referring to themselves as “you”)
Communication Strategies in Autism Care
When communicating with autistic children and helping them to improve their own communication skills, parents, teachers, and caregivers should use clear and simple language. Figurative speech and complex sentences can be confusing for children with ASD, and so speaking in short phrases and only providing one piece of information at a time are the best methods for ensuring they understand your message.
That said, here are four key strategies for helping children with autism improve their communication skills:
Strategy #1: Visual Communication Aids
Visual communication aids like picture cards, communications boards, and Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) can be powerful tools in aiding communication and helping autistic children (particularly those who are nonverbal) better express their needs, wants, and emotions.
Communication boards, for instance, can allow children to communicate more fully by pointing to images such as photographs, illustrations, or symbols that have been placed on a bulletin board. PECS, on the other hand, uses images to represent thoughts and requests, enabling children to quickly and efficiently communicate specific needs.
Strategy #2: Utilize Technology to Facilitate Communication
There are a number of communication apps and devices that are made to support nonverbal or minimally verbal autistic children. One of the more advanced options is a speech-generating device (SGD), a piece of equipment that utilizes alphabet keys or visual symbols to produce speech for the user. This allows children to create speech instead of just choosing from pre-selected images.
Strategy #3: Incorporate Visual Social Stories
For some children with autism, understanding social situations, behaviors, and expectations can be challenging. Creating short social narratives explaining various social scenarios like greetings and goodbyes, turn-taking, sharing, and quiet time can be beneficial in helping the child better grasp social cues and norms.
Strategy #4: Model Appropriate Communication
One of the less discussed autism communication strategies is modeling the right communication behaviors. Demonstrate to the child various communication methods, and then encourage imitation. Provide positive reinforcement when they attempt to use the techniques you’re modeling for them.
Strategy #5: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy
As helpful as things like social stories and communication boards can be, in many children with autism spectrum disorder, ABA therapy, either at home or in a clinical setting, can help children modify certain behaviors and make it easier to overcome social challenges and avoid disruptive learning, both of which hinder effective communication.
By creating a supportive environment and utilizing some key communication strategies like visual aids, technological assistance, and professional collaboration, parents and caregivers can help children with autism enhance their communication skills and nurture their development in a world that puts a premium on understanding and connection.
The Autism Specialty Group offers professional, in-home ABA therapy, using positive reinforcement to help individuals with autism bolster their social, cognitive, and communicative skills. We encourage you to reach out to us for more information on ABA therapy, or to discuss techniques that could be beneficial to your child’s development.