Conversation Roadblocks
Why is it so challenging to have a conversation with some of our friends with autism? What stands in the way of two-way communication? Some of the roadblocks are a result of characteristics inherent in autism.
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Ineffective communication and shortcomings in social interaction are two of the primary characteristics of autism. Let’s look at how those issues can interfere with conversation.
1. Literal interpretation. If we say, “Do you want to go out to eat tonight?” our friend with autism may think we are a bit strange. After all, who would want to eat outside in the middle of winter?
2. Social cues. Most of us mirror what others around us are doing. But our friends with autism rarely pick up on those social cues, so they may tend to stand much too close to us during a conversation or they may suddenly start talking about an unrelated topic.
3. Obsessive interest in a narrow range of topics. Autism can cause our friends to talk only about railroads or Roger Rabbit for hours on end, and to become very agitated if we attempt to talk about the weather or supper.
4. Echolalic speech. For a variety of reasons, some individuals with autism echo sentences or phrases spoken by others. They may echo every sentence of the current conversation or they may continually repeat a phrase they heard several weeks ago.
5. Interpretation issues. Some of our friends with autism, even those with very sophisticated receptive language skills, may not understand what we are saying. They may, for example, just give us a blank look when we say something like, “I wonder if your grandmamma is going to call this afternoon.”
6. Inappropriate expression of opinions, emotions, or needs. Individuals with autism can blurt out tactless phrases or rude reactions. For example, they may say something like, “That man is ugly,” or they may scream or hit rather than saying, “I want another cracker, please.”
7. Inattention. Everyone, of course, is inattentive sometimes, but some people with autism are particularly distracted by sights and sounds or by scripts of movies or past events running through their heads.
TIP FOR THE DAY: Ineffective communication is one of the guideposts of autism. We can help our friends learn to enjoy conversations if we take all these factors – these roadblocks to conversation – into account.
Everyone benefits when we take a bit of time to sharpen our skills in being able to systematically address this and other challenging issues arising in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources; http://FAQautism.com
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 a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. 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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