When your child has been diagnosed with autism, you have a lot of questions. One of those questions might be: Why isn’t my child actually talking?
As a parent, it’s only normal to worry. But taking a step back to understand nonverbal autism can help you move away from focusing only on spoken language and toward recognizing the many ways your child can connect, express themselves, and participate in the world.
You’ll find that there are many activities for a nonverbal autistic child and that through ABA therapy, your child can take huge steps towards developing meaningful communication and finding ways to express their needs and preferences with greater confidence.
What Is Nonverbal Autism?
So, what is nonverbal autism? The term is commonly used when an autistic person does not use spoken language functionally or uses very few spoken words. But being nonspeaking does not mean that your child can’t communicate or doesn’t have anything to say. Your child might choose to communicate through:
- Gestures
- Facial expressions
- Movements
- Pictures
- Signs
- Writing
- Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems
ABA therapy recognizes that your child’s ability to communicate is not measured only by the number of words they say. Every autistic child develops communication differently. Some children who initially use little or no speech may develop spoken language later, while others may continue to prefer other forms of communication.
Why Isn’t Your Child Using Speech?
We would love to provide complete clarity and say that there’s a single explanation for why your child isn’t speaking. But autism involves differences in development and communication, and those differences can look very different from one child to another.
Some children may understand a lot more than they can express verbally. Others may have difficulty coordinating the motor skills involved in speech. Some may communicate more effectively through visual or technological methods.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that communication is bigger than speech.
Activities for a Nonverbal Autistic Child
Finding meaningful activities for a nonverbal autistic child can create natural opportunities for communication without turning every interaction into a lesson. This leaks into ABA therapy, particularly clinic-based ABA therapy sessions, where activities such as sensory play, games, art, music, movement, and pretend play can be adapted to encourage communication, social interaction, and independence. Here are some of the different activities for a nonverbal autistic child that are commonly used in ABA therapy:
- Cause-and-effect play
- Choice-making activities
- Interactive games to support basic speech
- Music and movement
- Preferred-interest activities
- Turn-taking and social games
- Imitation activities
- Sensory exploration activities
- Role-play activities
- Fine-motor activities
- And more
The goal of these activities is not to force your child to speak; it’s to create enjoyable situations where communication has a purpose.
Learn More About ABA Therapy
At Advanced Behavior Analysis, we recognize that communication should be meaningful to the individual child. Our ABA therapy interventions are incorporated into play, routines, social interactions, and other everyday experiences so that communication skills have opportunities to become useful beyond the therapy setting.
Our approach is not about assuming that every child needs to communicate in the same way. It is about understanding how your child currently communicates and building from there.
If you have been wondering, “What is nonverbal autism?” searching for meaningful activities for a nonverbal autistic child, or considering whether ABA therapy could support your child’s communication, contact us today to learn more about individualized support for your child.
