How Can A Speech-Language Pathologist Help My Child With Autism?

How Can A Speech-Language Pathologist Help My Child With Autism?

Speech-Language Pathologists & Children With Autism

Hmmm… Just Wondering?! How can a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) help my child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Experience

Ms. Grayson’s 40 years as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist includes a strong emphasis on increasing the understanding and awareness of early identification and intervention for all children experiencing speech-language-communication-learning challenges.

Furthermore, she strives to share the significant and important role of an SLP in the lives of children and families, including those with suspected or diagnosed ASD.

These are two of the reasons Ms. Grayson founded this Center in Tallahassee, Florida in 1993.

Memorable Moment Graphic: CCC/LSG

Early Identification of Autism

In a recent article, “Earlier Intervention: Heeding the First Signs of Autism”, written by the 2017 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association‘s President, Gail J. Richard, PhD, CCC-SLP, she shared this on point statement, ” Speech-language pathologists, also called SLPs, are often the first professionals to identify a child with ASD. Children can begin to receive communication services by a speech-language pathologist as soon as delays in meeting expected milestones are detected. A diagnosis of ASD is not necessary to start these services.” Dr. Richard is also the Director of the Autism Center at Eastern Illinois University.

Children’s Communication Center’s Director & Founder, Lori Savage Grayson, is one of these SLPs

Q & A

To answer the frequently asked question, “How can a Speech-Language Pathologist help my child with autism?”, Ms. Grayson shares the following overview.

These are some of the ways a child with autism can benefit from working with an ASHA certified pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) experienced in identifying (assessing) a child’s strengths and areas of need, developing a plan of care, and implementing appropriate intervention goals and objectives in the areas of:

Pre-requisite Behaviors for Language-Learning-Communication

• Including, but not limited to:
  • Facilitating behaviors such as: ready, waiting, attention to task, sustained attention, pointing, giving, and more

Oral & Written Language

• Listening, processing, remembering, understanding, and talking
• Reading, Spelling & Writing
  • Including, but not limited to, vocabulary, concepts, thought formulation and organization for both oral and written language
  • Including meaningful symbolic and constructive play

Social Language/Pragmatics

• Using language for different purposes
• Changing language for listeners and situations
• Following rules for conversation/story-telling
• Focusing on social communication
• Facilitating social emotional regulation
• Developing social interaction & interpersonal/peer relations

Oral Motor Development

• Feeding challenges and food aversions with or without an oral motor disorder
  • Often described as sensory-related, restrictive eater or picky eater
• Oral motor challenges due to weakness and/or motor planning,
  • Dysarthria
  • Apraxia/Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
  • Oral motor disorder, combined

Augmentative/Alternative communication

• Focusing on our nonverbal and/or less verbal friends
• Low tech
• High tech
• Signing Exact English
• And all the combinations in-between

Other Areas

• And, more, including, but not limited to speech sound disorders, fluency, vocal use.

Contact us for more information on how your child/family might benefit from our SLP services!