Benefits of speech therapy for autism

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Autism can cause a child to be slow to speak, have difficulty talking, or have major communication problems. Early diagnosis and treatment of autism can help children significantly improve their language abilities. Currently, speech therapy is considered the most common treatment for autism, helping children with speech and social communication problems.

1. Autism Overview

Autism is a type of developmental disability that usually appears before the age of 3 in children. Autism is part of a group of neurological disorders that are associated with impairments in a child's ability to communicate, as well as social and cognitive interaction skills. This condition is collectively known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can be associated with a range of characteristics:
The child performs repetitive actions over and over again Has an unusual response to touch some things resist or cannot tolerate changes in daily routine Inability to interact with their surroundings Children with ASD can have major problems with verbal and nonverbal communication . In addition, children may also find it difficult to interact socially. For these reasons, speech therapy is considered the most important part of treatment for autism in children. This therapy can help with a wide range of communication problems in children with autism.

2. Communication and speech problems are common in children with autism

Autism can affect a child's speech, language development, and social interaction in a variety of ways.

2.1. Speech problems of children with autism

In children with ASD there may be the following speech problems:
Do not talk to anyone Autistic children are slow to speak Emphatically mutters, cries, makes screams or sounds shrill Sputtering Babbles with words that sound like sounds Uses foreign language words or a robotic voice Often repeats or imitates what others have just said Can use sentences or appropriate phrase, but in a non-expressive tone Research shows that about one in three children with autism will have difficulty making speech sounds to communicate effectively with others. Furthermore, the language of children with autism is often difficult to understand.

2.2. Communication problems in children with autism

A child with autism may experience one or more of the following communication challenges:
Trouble with conversation skills, including eye or gesture communication Difficulty understanding the meanings of words outside the context in which they have been learned Memorize what has been heard but do not know what has been said Depends on repeating other people's words as a primary means of communication Understands little of the meaning of words or signs Lack of linguistic creativity Because of these challenges, children with autism who are slow to speak or have difficulty communicating need to learn to use language and hold a conversation. In addition, children with autism also need to learn to modulate both verbal and non-verbal cues from others, such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language.

3. What role does speech therapy play in the treatment of autism in children?

Therapists who specialize in speech and language disorders play an important role in the treatment of autism in children. With early screening and detection of at-risk children, speech therapists often take the lead in helping diagnose autism and refer children to other specialists.
Once a child with autism is diagnosed, speech therapists will evaluate the best ways to improve communication and quality of life for children with autism. Throughout the speech therapy process, the specialist will work closely with the family, school, and other treatment companions. If a child with autism is slow to speak, does not speak, or has major speech difficulties, speech therapy will address other speech alternatives, including:
Sign or type Use a board picture-to-words, this is a picture-to-word communication system that begins by using pictures instead of words to help children with autism learn to communicate Using sounds that a person is overly sensitive to or Less sensitive to expanding or condensing voice sounds In children with autism who are slow to speak or have difficulty speaking, pronunciation can be improved by massaging or performing exercises for the lips and facial muscles. Ask children to sing songs that are composed to help them catch the rhythm and stress of sentences. Therapy for children with autism should be started as soon as possible to help children improve their language skills. language and communication. Therefore, speech therapy measures play an extremely important role in the treatment of autism.

4. The benefits of speech therapy for autism

The treatment of children with autism with speech therapy can help improve overall communication. This helps children with autism who are slow to speak or have difficulty communicating with some of their ability to form relationships and function in daily life.
Here are the specific goals and benefits of speech therapy for people with autism, including:
Good expression of words Communicating both verbally and nonverbally language Understand verbal and nonverbal communication and help autistic children understand the intentions of others Children with autism can begin to communicate without prompting Know the right time to speak something Develop communication skills in a child with autism who is slow to speak Improve a child's ability to exchange ideas with others when talking Children can communicate in ways that help develop relationships Become like communicate, play and interact with peers Learn to self-regulate speech when communicating

5. When is the best time to start speech therapy for ASD?

Speech therapy for autistic children should be started as soon as possible. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tends to manifest before the age of 3, and language delays can be recognized as early as 18 months.
In certain cases, autism can be identified as early as 10-12 months of age. Therefore, it is important to start speech therapy measures as early as possible to have the greatest impact on children. In-depth treatment that is specific to the individual with autism can help alleviate the isolation that occurs as a result of a child's social communication disability.
With early identification and intervention, two out of three preschool children with autism can improve their communication skills as well as their grasp of spoken language. Many studies also show that the children who improve their communication the most often receive speech therapy at an early age.

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Reference source: webmd.com