Speech Therapy for Children With Autism
Helping another to communicate clearly to those around them will open doors that might previously have remained closed, and the individual will be better equipped to deal with all aspects of his life.
What is Speech Pathology?
Speech pathology is devoted to individuals of any age who have some kind of language, voice, speech or other related disorders. You may seek out a speech pathologist within a school system or in a clinic or health care setting. Some speech work can be done in telepractice, using telecommunications technology to link therapists with clients.
According to the Houston Chronicle, counselling is an important aspect of working with people who need some type of speech therapy. Patients and their families often deal with troublesome times, due to the challenges and limitations that speech issues create.
The Goals of Speech Pathology
If you or your child has speech problems, your life may seem like a puzzle that needs to be put together. Speech pathologists can do this with you. Each case will have its own unique symptoms and the issues may not be completely straightforward.
In a clinic or health care system, you may be assisted by a team of staff members whose goal it is to develop a plan. This will allow you or your child to be helped at a clinical level, as well as on a personal level. They are able to diagnose your problems by observing your behavior and speech, and then a plan is created for you.
Speech Therapy for Autism
Autism is a type of developmental disability that generally manifests itself before a child is three years of age. There are marked traits associated with the disorder. They include:
- Resistance to any changes in routine
- Repetitive activities
- Inability to interact with the environment
- Unusual responses to stimuli
People who have autism have issues with non verbal communication and speech as well, states WebMD. They usually have difficulties interacting socially. Speech therapy is an important aspect of their treatment. Speech pathology is helpful in addressing many communication issues for those with autism.
Why Use Speech Pathology for People with Autism?
Autism can affect social communication, speech and language development in a variety of ways. People who have autism may not talk, or they may use shrieks, cries or harsh sounds to communicate. They may hum or babble with sounds that are similar to words. People with autism may also repeat what people say, and they may use proper sentences without understanding their meaning.
Roughly one in three people who have autism has difficulty in producing the sounds of speech, so that they could communicate with people. If they do have a language, it is quite difficult to understand.
Communication Problems Associated with Autism
People with autism may have one of these challenges, or more:
- Trouble understanding words
- Trouble using conversational skills like gestures and eye contact
- Reliance on repeating someone else’s words to communicate
- Memorization of things they have heard without understanding them
- Lack of creative language
- Little understanding of symbols or words
Due to these challenges, a person with autism has to do more than simply learning how to speak. They need to learn also how to communicate. They will learn to tune into nonverbal as well as verbal cues from people who speak to them.
How Does Speech Therapy Benefit the Treatment of Autism?
Speech pathologists are the key practitioner in a treatment team for someone with autism. They can even help in diagnosing autism. Once the diagnosis is made, a speech therapist can assess the most helpful ways to improve the communication of a person with autism, to help them lead a more rewarding life.
If you need to arrange speech therapy for a child with autism Contact Us Today.
References
- Speech pathology: www.chron.com
- Brain/Autism: www.webmd.com
