If your child is autistic, then you’re probably naturally curious about what’s going through their mind. This curiosity is tenfold when your child is nonverbal.
Maybe they give you a small smirk from across the room, or reach out their hand towards an object. They might even mutter a single word or something inaudible. When spoken language is difficult or does not develop in the expected way, it can be easy to focus on what your child cannot say. But communication does not begin and end with speech.
Autism and speech are important, but there are all kinds of nonverbal autism therapy options, including autism speech therapy and ABA, that can provide alternative communication methods for your nonverbal child. Let’s explore a few of these alternative methods together.
- Facial Expressions
Your child’s face can communicate a lot. During autism speech therapy and other supportive activities, caregivers and therapists can learn to recognize your child’s individual signals while helping your child become more intentional in how they use their facial expressions as a means of communication.
- Body and Hand Gestures
In nonverbal autism therapy, body gestures and hand gestures are used as forms of communication that can be acknowledged and developed as useful skills, rather than dismissed simply because they are not speech.
- AAC Apps
Technology has become a great tool in nonverbal autism therapy, including clinic-based ABA therapy interventions. AAC apps can allow your autistic child to select symbols, words, or phrases on a tablet or other device to express their thoughts, ideas, wants, and opinions.
For some kids, an AAC system may become an important part of their everyday communication. For others, it may work alongside gestures, vocalizations, or spoken words.
- Communication Boards
A communication board can provide a simple, visual way for your kid to indicate what they want to say. Depending on your child’s abilities and preferences, it might include pictures, symbols, words, or combinations of these.
- Written Language
When considering autism and speech, it is important to remember that a child’s ability to communicate may not always be reflected by their ability to speak. Supporting written language skills through speech and ABA therapy sessions can give your child another opportunity to demonstrate what they understand and what they want to express.
Every child deserves a way to say, in whatever form works for them, what they want and need. That is why nonverbal autism therapy should look beyond spoken words.
Whether your child communicates through facial expressions, gestures, an AAC app, a communication board, written language, speech-generating technology, or a combination of methods, their communication deserves to be recognized and supported.
At Advanced Behavior Analysis, we’re proud to provide ABA therapy support that allows your child to develop meaningful ways to communicate, build confidence in expressing themselves, and participate more fully in everyday interactions. Through clinic-based support and a philosophy rooted in embracing neurodiversity, we create opportunities for your child to communicate in ways that feel natural and accessible to them while building practical skills they can carry into everyday life. Contact us today to learn more about autism and speech, and the kinds of support available to your little one.
