Autism and Communication
June 8, 2026
The Challenge
Autistic individuals may oftentimes struggle with communication. Perhaps your child is having speech delays, or quickly gets frustrated when their words are not understood or when they don't understand you. What can you do?
Ask The Right Questions
- Allow for extra processing time after you say or ask something
- Avoid repeating questions immediately (overwhelming)
- State simple phrases so the intention is understood
for example, instead of "Can you go ahead and grab your shoes so we can get going?"state "Get your shoes."
- Utilize visuals to aid in understanding
- Use "first, then" phrasing
- Makes language more concrete
- Reduces frustration
- Increases understanding
Pay attention to and interact with their way of communicating, like: pulling you toward an item, handing you objects, vocalizations or scripting. When they do this, understand it as a means of communication, model the correct communication and remain consistent
- ex: Child reaches for a toy→You say: "Toy please"
- Avoid overcorrecting, and match their language level to avoid pressure
- Respond to all communication attempts, even if its not perfect
- ex: Child says "ju" → You respond: "Juice! You want juice."
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