What are some communication and language difficulties found in autism?
Individuals with autism may use little to no spoken language. In other cases, there may be delayed or disordered speech. If an individual does have speech, he/she may not be able to initiate or sustain a conversation. This stems from not understanding how to hold a conversation, not considering what the other person in a conversation understands and believes (i.e., difficulty with perspective taking), and not tuning in to non-verbal cues like facial expression, tone of voice and body language. It is important to remember that communication is as much nonverbal as it is verbal, and people with ASD have great difficulty understanding nonverbal language. They may display echolalia (repeating previously heard words or phrases in place of spontaneous language); they may not be able to use language appropriately or in context; and they may interpret words and phrases literally and may not be able to understand idioms or figurative language. In addition, there may be a lack of, or limited, im
