Why Do People Confuse Speech Delay With Autism?

Some children don’t talk as clearly, and some may not even speak their first words. But is this a reason confuse speech delay and autism? Find out.
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Some children don’t talk as clearly as other kids of similar age. Some toddlers may not have even spoken their first words. Does the delay in their speech development raise the possibility that they have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). No, not always. So, how should we not confuse speech delay and autism?

A speech delay by itself does not indicate a kid has autism, even if speech delays, language delays, and learning impairments are frequently a feature of autism.

In actuality, there are important distinctions between speech and language impairments of all types and speech and language delays brought on by autism. Learning about speech development trends, keeping an eye out for any anomalies, and getting expert advice from your child’s physician or speech-language pathologist can all help keep you informed so you can choose the best course of action. Let’s begin with the fundamentals.

A Comparison Between Speech Delay & Autism

Children reach specific developmental stages as they grow. All of these developmental milestones—taking their first step, grinning at their parents, and waving goodbye—are regarded as achievements. These are attained by children in their play, education, behaviour, speech, and movement.

So one of the developmental stages that parents and caregivers should watch out for is speaking.

In their first year of life, children who are usually developing may point to an object they want, say “no,” shake their head “no,” and pronounce many single words.

A two-year-old youngster can speak in two- or three-word phrases and can say about 50 words in total. A typical child’s vocabulary increases to about 1000 words by the age of three. They can speak in sentences of three to four words.

These developmental milestones aid in determining the child’s current stage of development. These recommendations are only meant to be broad suggestions because every child develops at their own rate.

Your youngster may have a speech delay if they don’t seem to have reached these stages, though. More information on toddler speech delays will be covered later.

Speech delay refers to a delay in the creation or application of speech-producing systems. However, language delay refers to a delay in the acquisition of language skills.

Making sounds with the use of organs such as the vocal cords, mouth, tongue, and other structures is the act of speaking.

We are aware that learning and speech deficits are telltale symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. A child may not definitely have ASD just because they have a speech delay. There are certain differences between various types of speech and language impairments and the communication and social challenges brought on by autism spectrum disorder.

Speech is the verbalization, articulation, and manipulation of the sounds that are utilized to produce words, as was previously mentioned.

Speech-language delays can naturally happen during development. This implies that while the child might progress toward standard speech milestones, their rates may be slower than those of their classmates. A speech motor issue may also make it more difficult for the youngster to control their mouth, tongue, and lips in order to make precise sounds.

Children go through comparable developmental phases. In their toddler years, they begin to coo and babble. Additionally, they convey their needs and wants through nonverbal cues, which aids in the development of close relationships with others.

As they develop, they start to pick up on sounds and use them to create words. Through successful conversation, they begin to put words together to form phrases and develop sophisticated linguistic skills.

Objectives of Speech Therapy for Expressive Language Delay

When a child doesn’t reach the appropriate language developmental milestones for their age, they may experience language delay, a sort of communication problem. Similar to speech delays, children’s linguistic growth might lag behind that of their classmates.

Receptive, expressive, or a combination of the two language delays are all possible. When a kid struggles with language comprehension, a receptive language deficiency is present. On the other hand, an expressive language disorder manifests when a kid has trouble vocally expressing themselves.

Following a speech-language pathologist’s evaluation, a specific treatment plan can be developed to concentrate on enhancing strengths and determining a growth strategy. 

Why Do People Mix Up Autism with Speech Delay?

Autism spectrum condition is characterized by speech difficulties. Even some toddlers with ASD who have normal speech development experience difficulties as they become older using spoken language.

The symptoms of autism and speech delay are frequently misunderstood. When compared to other children their age, children with speech delays may take longer to reach the age-related speech and language milestones.

The speech development of toddlers with ASD has been delayed, according to their parents. Yes. Early signs of autism in young children include speech delay, but this is NOT the sole symptom.

Children with ASD may employ a variety of vocalizations, struggle with gestures, and have difficulty recognizing facial expressions. According to experts, some kids engage in self-stimulation through the repetition of words and noises.

Speech Delay vs. Autism

Children pick up quite soon that in order to get what they want, they must communicate.

Children who are neurotypical, learn to make eye contact, babble, point, and tug on fingers or sleeves long before they can speak to express their demands.

Children that are neurotypical gradually pick up spoken language because they benefit from utilizing it.

Although neurotypical kids may have speech impairments, they display the following traits:

  • Smiling, giving hugs, and other positive social reactions are motivating for kids.
  • Children have a natural tendency to mimic the behaviours of the adults around them.
  • Children are more prone to observing living things than inanimate ones.
  • Children with neurotypical behaviour favour social interactions. If left alone, they could tend to feel lonely and bored.
  • Social communication difficulties are present in autistic children. Establishing meaningful social communication is hampered by these.
  • A child with ASD could be more driven by their own interests than by interactions with others.
  • They might not, or only occasionally, copy others’ behaviour.
  • Children with autism may be less interested in people and more interested in things.
  • Even when left alone, they could be content.

Click here to read about 15 Commonly Asked Speech Therapy Questions

Any child could experience a speech development delay at some point in their life. A youngster with autism will, however, have other symptoms, such as trouble recognizing nonverbal cues.

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