Speech Delays in Autistic Children: A Parents Guide

Navigating the concerns about a child’s development can present unique challenges for guardians, parents or caregivers, especially when it comes to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and associated speech delays.

This guide aims to provide information about speech delays in autistic children drawing on general knowledge and acknowledging the specific context of accessing support in Nepal.

Speech Delay: Signs and Contributing Factors

Speech delay involves difficulties with verbal communication, such as limited vocabulary or slower speech development. It can be an early indicator of autism, though it can also stem from hearing loss, language development disruptions, or other medical conditions.

For children with ASD, a primary challenge can be a reduced drive to communicate verbally. Parents often first notice these delays, observing signs like not chattering as expected, not using single words by 18 months, or not combining words by age two. Parental involvement and collaboration with professionals are crucial for addressing speech delays, especially in the early years.

What Parents Can Do at Home

Given the limited access to professional therapy in many countries, home-based strategies become incredibly important, potentially serving as the primary intervention. Your role in creating a supportive and communicative environment for your child is the key.

• Talk and Respond: Engage in frequent conversations with your child throughout the day. Respond to their attempts to communicate, whether it’s through babbling, gestures, eye contact, or single repetitive words. This shows them that their efforts to connect are meaningful and encourages them to keep trying.
• Help Them Repeat: When your child makes an attempt at a word or a short phrase, gently and clearly repeat it back to them. Then, encourage them to try repeating it again. This repetition reinforces the sounds and structure of language.

• Use Things They Like: Identify your child’s favorite toys, activities, or people. Use these as opportunities to introduce and practice new words. For example, if they love cars, say “car,” “red car,” or “fast car” while playing with them.

• Value All Communication: Acknowledge and praise the efforts your child makes to communicate, even if it’s not through spoken words. A nod, a point, a sound, or a gesture are all valid attempts to connect and should be encouraged. This builds their confidence in their ability to communicate.

• Create a Language-Rich Space: Surround your child with language in various forms. Talk about what you are doing, read books together, tell stories, and describe the world around them. This constant exposure helps them absorb new vocabulary and understand how language is used.

• Use music to enhance language development: Music can be a powerful tool for language development in children. Engaging with songs and musical activities  helps them recognize different sounds and associate them with words. This playful approach makes learning enjoyable and effective.

With technological advancement, there are many tools and applications readily available which show potential as a therapeutic tool to assist communication with a child. However, access to such specific tools, or even the necessary devices and island infrastructure may also be a limitation. 

Focus on low-tech, highly interactive strategies like talking to children, singing with them, etc first.

Seeking Help For Childhood Speech Delays

Finding help for children with speech delays or autism involves early checks and evaluations, where parents play a vital role. 

However, due to a lack of awareness in developing countries like Nepal, speech therapy is not well-known, leading to a limited number of programs that address speech delays.

Getting information from parents can be hard due to literacy and time constraints, making assessments and therapy difficult which often leads to children not getting the assistance that they need.More public awareness and policy changes are urgently needed. 

Despite these challenges, what parents observe about their child’s communication is very important and can be helpful if an assessment becomes possible.

Challenges and the Path Forward

Parents of children with ASD often report challenges stemming from insufficient knowledge and lack of adequate support. The scarcity of speech-language pathology expertise, coupled with limited public knowledge and training initiatives, creates substantial hurdles for addressing communication difficulties in Nepal.

Raising awareness about speech-language difficulties is crucial. Sharing information with parents and teachers can make them aware and encourage them to pay special attention to their children’s communication development.

Advocacy for better support, policies, and training for educators and healthcare professionals in Nepal is essential for the future. In the meantime, connect with other parents if possible. Sharing experiences and strategies can be a powerful source of support and practical ideas.

Recognising speech delay in your autistic child is the first step. While accessing professional help may be challenging in Nepal, your informed efforts at home, focused on understanding your child’s unique communication style, providing consistent stimulation, and using motivational strategies, can make a significant positive impact.