Communication disabilities in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Speech Language Pathologist’s perspective

Dr. Sudhin Karuppali

Known as a developmental disability, Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest-growing disability all over the world including Oman. According to a latest estimate by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, 1 in 36 children are born with this disorder. An Omani study done by Al-Mamri and colleagues in 2019 estimated 20 out of 10,000 children have ASD, with the prevalence of ASD among children being 15-fold higher than estimates from 2011. This increase in prevalence was attributed to the increased awareness of ASD and better screening programs, improvements in the provision of diagnostic services, and possible changes in the diagnostic criteria. These people might be dealing with a range of issues; some of these include trouble understanding what other people are saying and having trouble initiating and carrying on a conversation with people. In comparison to their peer group, their language development could be slower, and they occasionally might wind up repeating what someone else has said (which is called echolalia).

They also show difficulties relating to others, as well as an incapacity to comprehend the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviours of others. These people could exhibit repetitive habits and have an intense interest in particular tasks. They could have mild to severe deficits in their intellectual capacities. Along with a variety of communication disturbances, these children may have sensory processing disorders, wherein one or more senses (smelling, tasting, touching, hearing, and seeing) may either be under or over-reactive to stimulation. Children with ASD may also have difficulty swallowing.

Even though males are four to five times more likely than females to receive an autism diagnosis, not all autistic children will present with the same set of symptoms. Al-Mamri and colleagues revealed the majority (78%) of cases with autism are males. These individuals might experience some of these issues for the rest of their lives. People with autism may also display a range of difficulties in terms of severity. Despite a variety of incapacitating problems, some autistic children may demonstrate extraordinary abilities in areas like art, music, arithmetic, and other subjects that exceed the abilities of ordinarily developing people. Thus far, no single primary cause has been found for autism. Numerous factors have been proposed as potential causes, including genetic, neurological, environmental, infectious, and more. It has been difficult to identify children who have this impairment.

During the first three years of a child's life, parents and other caregivers typically become aware of indications of autism. Sometimes it takes three years to identify these youngsters because there is a lack of awareness about this condition. Autism is treated by a multidisciplinary team that includes paediatricians, clinical psychologists, general practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, neurologists, ENTs, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, sensory-integration therapists, special educators, school teachers, dieticians, and social workers, even though psychologists may play a significant role in the diagnosis of this disability. Among the first professionals who might be able to recognize these symptoms in early childhood are paediatricians and school teachers.

Speech-language pathologists are an important team member in the treatment of autism. These licensed experts are skilled in recognizing and addressing any swallowing and communication issues that these autistic kids could have. These kids receive speech treatment regularly, which improves their ability to speak. As the ability to understand and speak is a prerequisite for communication, it becomes essential to society. Immediate and consistent speech therapy will help these kids develop improved communication skills, which will help them learn more effectively in school.

The degree to which these kids benefit from speech therapy, however, is contingent upon when they begin getting intervention. Early identification of these children becomes an important factor in determining therapy progress. Although having problems in communication, these children with autism have unique personalities, and a voice inside them waiting to be heard by the world around them. The best treatment for these children will be when the people around them begin seeing the world as how they see it.