Photo: Marta Wave

At what age autistic child speak fluently?

Wodka's team studied 535 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who had “only a few single words at most” at age 4. By age 8, 70 percent had developed phrase or fluent speech, with 47 percent speaking fluently.

sparkforautism.org - Good News for Late Talkers: More Children with Autism Learn to ...

How do I start prepping?

The Beginner Prepper Checklist Build a solid foundation. Get your home ready for two weeks of self-reliance. Be able to leave your home with only a...

Last updated Dec 22, 2021

Why don t snipers use silencers?

Snipers don't use silencers when they are not mission-critical because they are heavy and bulky. Snipers already carry a ton of equipment, so...

Last updated Aug 9, 2021

Promotion

Marina Sarris

Date published: August 21, 2019

Like many specialists, Ericka L. Wodka, Ph.D., has met with parents who want to know one thing in particular: when, or if, their child with autism will speak. She looked to research studies for guidance. But “I wasn’t getting my questions answered,” says Wodka, a pediatric neuropsychologist. So she launched her own study using data from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC), a research project of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative. Wodka’s team studied 535 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who had “only a few single words at most” at age 4. By age 8, 70 percent had developed phrase or fluent speech, with 47 percent speaking fluently.1 “Phrase speech” means a child will use a two-word statement appropriately, such as “want cookie” when he would like a snack, Wodka explains. Almost half of the children spoke fluently; they could express themselves in complex statements on various topics. These findings suggest that a greater percentage of children with autism “may be capable of attaining phrase speech than previously reported,” according to the study.1

Late Talkers with Autism

Published in 2013, the study may bring hope to parents who worry that children who are not talking by age 4 or 5 are unlikely to develop speech at all. Some children with ASD develop language after age 5. “There is a burst of kids in the 6 to 7 age range who do get language,” says Wodka, who currently leads recruitment and research efforts for the SPARK study at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. In the 2013 study, 16 percent of the children with low-average intelligence or intellectual disability, and 11 percent with average intelligence, attained phrase speech by age 6 or older, says study co-author Luther Kalb, Ph.D., of Kennedy Krieger. Wodka has good news for parents and educators. “The results of our study suggest that if you continue to work on the language development and social goals, and continue to persist with those intensely through the early childhood and early school-age years, the majority of kids who are not using meaningful phrases by age 4 will be by the time they’re 8,” she says. The team found that children with higher nonverbal intelligence scores and fewer social delays were more likely to achieve phrase or fluent speech, and at an earlier age. Social delays include difficulties with making eye contact, using facial expressions to communicate, and sharing items, thoughts, or feelings.

Does Nintendo still make the Wii U?

Nintendo had planned to diminish production of the Wii U ahead of the release of the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo formally announced the end of its...

Last updated Jan 23, 2019

Can you live on your own?

No matter what you're feeling — excitement, stress, or anything in between— it's normal to have some nervousness, too. But you can absolutely live...

Last updated Jan 29, 2020

Promotion

Children with intelligence in the typical range — an intelligence quotient (IQ) score greater than 85 — reached phrase speech about seven months earlier than children with IQ scores below that mark. The children who could speak fluently were older, had higher nonverbal IQ scores, and had fewer social delays. They also had more anxiety symptoms, according to the study.1 Unexpectedly, the researchers did not find a relationship between language development and repetitive behaviors, such as hand flapping, or unusual sensory interests, such as smelling objects. “That was kind of surprising,” Kalb says. Repetitive behaviors seemed like they might interfere with language development, but they did not, he explains.

What Does This Mean for Intervention?

The findings potentially support the use of autism interventions that focus on “social cognition,” such as teaching a child to recognize the feelings and perspectives of others.1 Autism “is not a speech or language disorder,” Wodka explains. “It’s a social communication disorder. Understanding why it’s important to be able to communicate with someone else is not inherent for a child with autism, compared to a typically developing child.” Interventions that help motivate children to communicate and share experiences with others might help improve speech, she says. Her study calls for more research on the topic. The results may not apply to children from families who have different characteristics that those in the SSC study. The SSC includes 2,600 families who each have only one member — a son or daughter — with autism. Also, the child with autism does not have a genetic condition such as fragile X or Down syndrome, or a family history of psychiatric disorders.2

References

Wodka E.L. et al. Pediatrics 131, e1128-1134 (2013) PubMed Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative. sfari.org. Accessed April 29, 2014

This article was first published on iancommunity.org.

sparkforautism.org - Good News for Late Talkers: More Children with Autism Learn to ...

Why have I stopped getting cold sores?

Some people have frequently recurring cold sores around two or three times a year, while others have one cold sore and never have another. Some...

Last updated Dec 7, 2019

Can Catholics eat eggs on Friday?

Also, on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent, adult Catholics over the age of 14 abstain from eating meat. During these days, it...

Last updated Mar 21, 2020

Promotion

What to buy before hyperinflation hits?

Here's where experts recommend you should put your money during an inflation surge TIPS. TIPS stands for Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities....

Last updated Jul 26, 2022

Promotion

Does life purpose exist?

All life forms share at least one essential purpose: survival. This is even more important than another key purpose for life, reproduction. Plenty...

Last updated Sep 1, 2021