06 March 2008

Talk or Not

Behavior Issues Communication Quality of Life Social Skills

During their school years, many non-verbal students with autism are encouraged to communicate using verbal responses paired with gestures, sign language, symbols, photos, and assistive communication devices. When one of my non-verbal friends with autism graduated from high school, she moved into a very supportive residential setting. But the loud, repetitive jabbering sounds she made to greet people or to express her opinion were rather irritating to people in her new home. So, should she be encouraged to talk, or not?

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She communicates basic needs rather effectively with some vocalizations, gestures, and a few basic signs. Because of cognitive, motor, and visual limitations, this young adult is unable to use sign language, picture symbols, or assistive communication devices very effectively. But she can get the attention of someone, indicate a choice by pointing, or answer a yes-no question by nodding or shaking her head.

This young lady’s speech therapists and teachers probably spent many years in school encouraging her to verbalize when communicating, but we cannot assume that the skills she learned as a youngster transferred to this new living situation now she is an adult. Because she makes loud and repetitive noises when attempting to communicate with others, it was necessary to teach her to verbalize in more appropriate ways so she didn’t irritate people around her.
1. She was taught to get the attention of a person by touching their shoulder or hand and to make a soft sound, “Hey,” then wait for them to respond. The staff were encouraged to respond to her rather quickly rather than waiting for her attempts to get their attention to escalate. If they were not able to give her attention at that point, they said, “I will talk to you in a minute,” or “Wait, please. I cannot talk now.”
2. Once she had their attention, she could point or show the person what she wanted to talk about. For example, if she wanted a drink, she could point to the refrigerator. Or, if she was wondering about weekend plans, she could bring the staff her picture schedule. Again, the staff were trained to listen attentively and to respond to her rather than ignoring her until she irritated them.
3. She was taught to use one soft, single-syllable sound when she wanted to say something rather than repeating phrases loudly over and over again.
4. The staff and her peers in her new living situation were encouraged to acknowledge her verbalizations as if she had spoken words or phrases they understood – similar to talking to a person who has had a stroke. They could reflect her communication attempts by saying something like, “You really like that apple pie, don’t you?” or “You want to wear your purple sweatshirt.”
5. Because this young lady is a sociable person who obviously loves to “talk,” people in her community were encouraged to take a bit of time with her every day to talk to her while riding in the car, sitting on a swing, looking at the newspaper together, or eating meals. She seems to really cherish those interactions, and, maybe as a result of those personal connections, became a bit less demanding and more content. Her loud, repetitive, and rather irritating verbalizations are decreasing, probably because she is now able to get the attention of folks and to communicate with them more appropriately.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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