Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Diagnosis

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Diagnosis

As a speech-language pathologist, I often see children who are not learning to speak as well as they should. Sometimes it quickly becomes clear that these children can be diagnosed as being on the “autism spectrum”. A specific definition could be Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

At some point, when I get to know a child, the idea has to be taken up. Sometimes parents come to therapy and ask, “Do you think my child has autism?” Other parents may have never considered the possibility and find it extremely difficult to talk about this issue.

Parents may have developed their understanding of autism from the media. Very often films and books show people with autism having ALL sorts of autistic symptoms. These symptoms have become a stereotype of autism. This can be very misleading. When parents look at their child they say, “That doesn’t look like my child!”

As a speech pathologist, I work with many children with autism or who are somewhere “on the autism spectrum.” They are all different. They have different symptoms and learn differently and at different speeds. Many clinicians who work with children “on the spectrum” find that they can quickly tell that this is the case by noticing a pattern of symptoms, rather than seeing a child who exhibits all the “classic” signs of autism.

Typically, children come to speech pathology because they do not speak like their peers. A child may not speak at all or speak limitedly. Children with autism often repeat exactly what they have heard, a type of speech called echolalia. It could be what you just said to them (like “Hello Olly”) or lines repeated verbatim from a movie. Sometimes the children sound like they are speaking in sentences, but it may be their own language or the language of the language without clear words.

From a speech pathologist's perspective, there are differences from normal development in the way a child communicates, not just speaks. Eye contact is usually limited, and your child may not automatically turn to you when you try to get his or her attention.

When children learn to speak according to the usual pattern, they learn to copy most adult purposes of communication. So they will ask for things, protest and refuse, use polite language, make comments about things they see or hear, and ask and answer questions. They want to communicate because they want to interact with others. If a child is having difficulty getting their message across, they can devise a number of strategies to get what they want.

Typically, children with autism communicate only for a limited range of purposes and are not inclined to seek interaction solely for the purpose of communication. They can become very upset when they are unable to get their needs met or when something bothers them. It's not always easy to figure out why they're upset. Children with autism may become upset more easily than other children if they also have sensory difficulties, such as: B. if they are too sensitive to noise or touch.

They may also be less sensitive to senses such as sound and touch, and may seek stimulation by, for example, pressing against people or mirrors, or turning or flapping their hands.

Children tend to socialize and learn to take turns in conversation and with toys (although this part can take a long time!). Children with autism typically do not try to play with their peers and are happier doing their own thing. Often they even limit physical contact with parents and brothers and sisters, such as: B. hugging.

A diagnosis can be very difficult for parents to accept, especially when their understanding of a disorder is influenced by the media. The media has certainly embraced autism in the last decade, and there are almost endless books and films depicting people with autism.

Please do not let these representations discourage you. Children are all individuals with their own personalities and abilities. If a child has autism, it is probably better to know than not to know for several reasons. Other people are likely to have a better understanding of the difficulties you are facing and treatment can be planned and managed.

Most children with autism can be shown how to communicate with others. They participate in school and many other activities in which they show interest. Some children with autism are exceptionally clever with things that interest them. They learn social skills and learn how to successfully interact with other people.

If you have concerns, find a speech-language pathologist who works with children with autism to support you, guide you through the issues, and provide your child with lifelong communication skills.

Inspired by Adele Jane