Is delayed speech a sign of autism?
Early intervention with online speech therapy can be key to helping any child with a speech or language delay, regardless of diagnosis. Clinical research has consistently indicated that early intervention is essential to helping a child catch up to peers and become capable of better self-expression.
But that speech or language delay you detect in your child may suggest that autism is a concern as well. While speech delays are very common among children with autism, they are also common in children without it.
Typical communication milestones by age
From the moment of birth, a baby begins to communicate. Within the first three months, children are expected to look at their caregivers, respond to their voices, smile when smiled at, and react to sounds. Their cooing and crying become signals of needs either met or unmet.
Within 6-9 months, it’s typical for an infant to recognize familiar people, enjoy playing “peek-a-boo,” and begin to imitate familiar actions and sounds.
Within 12-18 months, caregivers begin to hear the first words, such as “dada,” “cookie,” or “ball.” At this age, children also begin saying “hi” and “bye-bye,” as well as practically every child’s favorite: “no!”
By the time a child is 2, vocabulary is expanding quickly. Most children use between 250-300 words and begin combining two words to make requests, comments, and labels.
By 3 years old, children begin answering questions and carrying out two-step unrelated requests—such as “first clean up your toys, and then go get your shoes”—though they may need some encouragement along the way.
For some children, however, reaching these milestones may not be so straightforward.
Speech delays vs. language delays: What’s the difference?
Before discussing the unique characteristics of autism, it’s important to understand the difference between speech and language delays. While the terms are often used interchangeably, they differ in key ways.
Speech refers to how children use sounds to express their needs, wants, and desires. Those with a speech delay tend to follow typical developmental patterns, just at a slower rate than their peers.
On the other hand, a language delay doesn’t refer to the physical act of how children produce sounds; rather, it refers to what they’re saying. In other words, a child may pronounce sounds in words correctly but struggle to use them in meaningful phrases or sentences. This is what’s known as an expressive language delay.
Besides expressive language delays, there is something called receptive language delay: when a child’s ability to understand what others are saying is compromised. These children struggle to process information, understand new vocabulary, and comprehend verbal or written communication. It’s worth noting that these subcategories of speech, expressive, and receptive language delays often manifest in combination with each other.
How autism differs from a speech-language delay
Although children with communication delays may progress more slowly than their peers, they remain highly motivated by social responses. They’re eager to interact with family members and other children through a variety of communication means, respond positively to attention, copy the actions of those around them, and can become bored, upset, or lonely when left by themselves.
Even if a child is experiencing a speech or language delay, they are still a dynamic social creature—and that’s precisely the point of contrast with autism. Autism, while presenting some of the same symptoms as speech-language delays, is rooted in other key challenges related to social dysfunction.
3 signs a speech or language delay may be related to autism
1. Lack of social communication and social relationships
One of the hallmarks of autism is difficulty with social communication or forming meaningful social relationships. Children with autism often prefer to be left alone to pursue their interests, show a greater interest in “things” than “people,” and rarely engage in pretend play.
They may also find it more difficult to use and understand non-verbal communication, such as smiling, gesturing, or facial expressions. Their interest in social communication is often focused on getting what they want, rather than connection for its own sake.
2. Inappropriate, unexpressive, or stilted communication
Children with autism often have difficulty beginning or maintaining a conversation. Their speech may sound robotic or flat, and they may respond to a question by repeating it instead of answering. They may also repeat words or phrases they recently heard (called echolalia) without clear context.
Often, children with autism will compulsively label objects rather than commenting or requesting.They can sometimes appear to look through people rather than at them, and may speak only in single words, or repeat certain phrases, seemingly unable to combine them into meaningful sentences.
3. Not frustrated by being misunderstood
Children with autism may not appear frustrated when they aren’t understood; they may simply disengage and return to what they were doing, unless the interaction involves something they really want. Many children with autism self-stimulate to meet sensory needs by staring at light-up or stimulating objects and mouthing items, and may prefer repetitive actions as a form of play.
A message of hope for families
Our understanding of autism has grown over time, and with it, so has the hope for children and families navigating a new diagnosis. We now know that early identification and intervention can have a profound, positive impact on lifelong outcomes. The earlier a child receives support, the greater the opportunity to build communication skills, strengthen social connections, and develop independence.
It’s important to remember that an autism diagnosis is not a ceiling on your child’s potential. Children on the autism spectrum are capable of remarkable growth, meaningful relationships, and lives full of joy and accomplishment.
Your child has the capacity to learn, communicate, and develop warm, loving, and satisfying relationships. With early identification and the right supports, they can build important life skills and have a better chance of overcoming barriers.
You see the potential in your child and want more for them than anyone can imagine. And with the right help and your unwavering advocacy, your child has the opportunity to thrive.
