( Everyday Life with Autism )

Speech and language Pathologists (SLP) found that half of the children have echolalia as part of their language development progress. The difference between NT (Neuro Typical) kids with and without echolalia (NOT including ASD kids) is that their self-generated language develops later, but eventually they still can catch up. Spectrum kids, on the other hand, go through the same process and develop self-genrated language -after echolalia- but at an older age. The transition for spectrum kids is not always easy for them and sometimes not complete. The progression, however, takes the same path. The language always originates through the “Gestalt Language Processing”, in which echolalia is a natural part of the process.

Analytic Language Processing (development of speech):

From long strings of sound emerges shorter phrases that can be interpreted as real language.

Phrases are then broken down into single words.

Soon two-word combinations are formed.

Combining two-word phrases with basic grammer, later on with more complex grammer.

Both NT and spectrum kids go through the same process, but spectrum kids might have an incomplete or/and delayed language.

To help kids with their language development, we should use an attractive language that captures their attention and provides relevance for them. Movies, books, and everyday language offer a resource and an environment from which the kids can pick up the language and start extracting, then breaking down the large chunks into shorter meaningful phrases.

The short phrases can then be connected in different combination to expand the language.

Temple Grandin spoke around the age of four. Growing up she spoke in a way that peole called “tape recorder”. When asked how did she become a great speaker, she said that she kept adding/getting/learning more and more phrases then recombining them in different ways. It was an ongoing gradual learning process that kept improving over time.

Be patient and always hopeful. Speech takes time to develop, just like the physical growth.

Read more about the subject in AA Digest March/April pages: 33,34,35 written by Marge Blanc.

nadia shanab

Tags: autism, communication, flexibility, health, parenting, speech, Temple Grandin, transition