7/21/2019 Autism Comunicare

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Autism-communication

Echolalia manifests in case of autism, but we have to mention that this is not

an absolute characteristic.

In case of a “normal” child, there is a normal development. From prattling at

2 months old, reaches at ! months to a correct use of comple" structures, mature

grammatical structures. At ! months, he can do an evaluation to sentences

grammaticall#. $e starts to understand %o&es, sarcasm, words that have more than

one meaning. $e has the capacit# to ad%ust his language due the interlocutor's

perspective.

Autistics, at ! months, can't understand or e"press abstract concepts li&e

time, can't have a conversation. (he# rarel# use correctl# pronouns. (he echolalia

persists. )arel# as&s *uestions, and if this happens, the *uestions are repetitive.

 (he rh#thm and the abnormal tone persist.

Imagine this. +e show an ob%ect to a child and we tell him that the name of

the ob%ect is “glass”. A period of time, the child tends to name all ob%ects that are

used for drin&ing, glass. (hat's because he understood the meaning of that ob%ect.

A child with autism will have the tendenc# to associate the word “glass” to

that particular glass, which is being shown to him. (hat color, that sie, that shape.

It's not logic that a glass used for drin&ing %uice to be called “glass” as well as a

glass that is used for drin&ing wine. (hese two have dierent shape and sie. It

important to be mentioned that this is %ust an e"ample but also we must &now that

the# don't have the necessar# means for such a generaliation.

Also, #ou can notice that the# tend to use the pronoun “#ou” instead of “I”.

Echolalia is used often b# children with autism. +hen the# hear an e"pression

in a certain situation, the# can repeat this same e"pression when the# are in a

similar situation. /ecause it's eas# to repeat an e"pression that was used b#

someone to e"press something the ne"t time the# want to e"press that same thing.

For e"ample, a child with autism is about to throw his dog o the balcon#. $is

mother, having an e"pressive face, shouts0”1on't throw that dogg#” (he bo# puts

the dog bac&. A few da#s later, the child pla#s in the &itchen b# himself, with some

 %ars that contain some white substances0 he spreads sugar, salt, 3our all over the3oor. 4om arrives with that same e"pression on her face li&e the last time. /efore

she opens her mouth, the little bo# sa#s0 “1on't throw that dogg#”

5o, echolalia isn't a senseless language, but more an attempt to manage in a

situation using what's available. (he# ta&e an observation literall#, with no

“translation”.

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5ocial rules are also a di6cult#. +hen should start a conversation7 For how

long can #ou tal& about #ourself7 A dialog with a child with autism that is highl#

s&illed ris&s to become *uic&l# into a monolog, because the fact of putting one-self

in someone else's place implies too much 3e"ibilit#.

In the case of autistics with a lower I8 and lower level of development, the#communicate easil# b# ma&ing connections between s#mbols and meanings. For

some autistics, the verbal language is hard enough to use, especiall# if the# didn't

reach a certain level of development. 9hildren can be taught to show what is it what

the# want, to point it of course, it's a process until the# understand it's easier to

show what the# want rather than ma&ing a nervous brea&-down, a nervous seiure.

5till, the# have to be stimulated to communicate, in an# wa# the# can, verball# or

through cards that have drawings on.