Good News! Early Spoken Language is NOT a Key to Positive Outcomes in Autism
When I contacted Dr. Coplan, I asked him specifically about prognosis and autism. That is - how do we know whether a child will do well or poorly over time? Like many people, I had always assumed that a child's ability to use spoken language was a key to a positive prognosis.
I was wrong.
Dr. Coplan explained what I suppose I really did already know: that spoken language is only one way for human beings to communicate, and it's by no means the most basic - nor the most significant when it comes to measuring intelligence or anticipating longterm outcomes. In fact, as he explained, many children with autism may be extremely delayed in use of spoken language, for many reasons (physical problems among them).
Much more critical than spoken language, he explained, is use of ANY tools for communication. If your child takes your hand to guide you, he is communicating. If he uses gestures, he is communicating. If he can master picture cards, signs, or other methods of connecting with another human being, he is communicating.
Said Dr. Coplan, "You shouldn't use language as the rock to stand on to estimate a child's intelligence, because you're likely to grossly underestimate his intelligence.... [The] ability to develop spoken language varies as a result of physical and/or language disorders; but a prognosis or a measure of IQ is not dependent upon spoken language."
"They used to say 'if they're not talking by five it's a bad sign,'" said Dr. Coplan. Today, though, we understand that communication, intelligence and verbal ability are not one and the same. Even if your child is not talking, there's a good chance that his intelligence - and long term prognosis - may both be very good.
Just had to share this, as it struck me as being a real gold nugget of information for parents.
Comments
This is a very good topic. My son was non verbal until 4.5, and when he began speaking of course it wasn’t still fully understood language nor is it always today. However, I always ‘knew’ he understood what I was saying to him. I just had a sense that he did know. As he became older and verbalized memories, I was astounded by his recall. All the times he was in his own world, he was multi-tasking! Now his language was delayed, and at times he had to find the right words for me to understand his memory. His earliest memory was prior to him turning 1 yrs old, and it was a song I sang to him. (I know when I stopped singing the song). He remembers when a fingernail fell off at daycare and which daycare it was and he was 2 at that time.
In the end, verbal communication nor any other type, makes up all of autism although many put their focus on verbal language. My son’s verbal skills change when he’s in a social setting, and he doesn’t do well at all on IQ tests and many other aspects of autism effects him.
Dr Coplan also provided me with some fascinating info about IQ testing for kids with language delays/autistic “differences. I’ll be putting it all together shortly, but the short version is that typical tests are really only useful for typical kids, and there ARE some benchmarks for nonverbal kids (heaven forbid anyone in our school districts or clinics would have mentioned this… sigh).
Lisa (autism guide)
From what I’ve seen in the literature, non-verbal IQ is a good predictor of outcome; but other things generally thought to be predictive of outcome, like severity of symptoms or language, are not (independently of IQ).
Indeed, the difference between high functioning autism and Asperger’s is early speech development. Later in life, however, there’s no difference between those with Asperger’s and those with HFA.
My little girl is nearly five years old is nearly completely non verbal.She does show other means of comunicating as shown in the article. I am currently in a battle with her school district to keep her out of a K-2 moderate to severe special day class because of her inability to speak. I have asked to see other classes and they have refused. Ihave asked for a stay put and they have given me 30 days continued pre-school and basicaly siad I am doing my daughter harm by not accepting thier recomendation. I am concerned for her social and emotional needs because I do see this intelegence many parents of atistic children see.
David~ maybe ask the school if they have heard of LRE? (least restricted environment)many parents before us fought hard for that LRE.
Our school district would not show me self contained classes at all, and I wasn’t too sure of inclusion at all at that time. It’s hard to know which setting would be best, but at least they should show al the options.
Good luck to you.
Absolutely! I think it is very important to know that the development of language is definitely not any indication of potential intellect. In the same breath, it is hugely important that parents give their kids options with regards to communication mediums and when the spoken word is delayed, please, please, please allow them to express themselves through alternative means such as typing. You always hear these “miracle” stories about how an autistic kid suddenly started communicating at x years when put in front of a computer, but that kid was probably aching to communicate long before that, and the focus on the spoken word just kept the kid’s development behind.
My 3 year old son is just starting to verbalize. However, he is extremely intelligent. He’s one of the children who could spell and type since he was 2. He learns words on his own by watching his videos. He also has the ability to perform simple mathematical equations. His speech therapist believes he has developmental apraxia and with continuted practice, should be speaking in the future. His Early Intervention team lead suggested their preschool. When I walked in there to check it out, I was very disappointed that they would want to put him in there. The children in that classroom were nonverbal and more severe on the spectrum. What benefit would that setting be for my child. I believe he would flourish being around social children who are verbal. The speech therapist is going to set it up so I can visit the mainstream Early Intervention pre-school.
My son did not speak much at all until he was 3. However, he could read and understand complete books (not memorization as he read them on his own) since he was younger than 3. He has been able to solve math problems since about the age of 2. I never worried about his being retarded - he was just too obviously above-normal intelligence - but I have always worried about his not speaking.
To this day, he does not speak much! Yes, it’s a problem here and there, but he has always managed somehow. He speaks in so few words but gets his point across (usually - not always).
My son is now 18 and in college - he goes to MIT. However, until recently I didn’t realize he had (has) a mild form of autism.
He has always been close to being a non-verbal child. What’s been concerting is that he does not express emotions well and never did. This is the link that makes me think he’s autistic. (Look up Einstein’s speech records - guess when he started speaking?).
I just found this site and just connected the dots. But for some of you with little ones — keep in mind that late-speaking does NOT mean lack of intelligence!!! I can’t say ‘put your child in with non-autistics’ as I did, because perhaps he would have learned to communicate more non-verbally, as others do… I don’t know enough about this yet to advice. But DO keep up trust in YOUR instincts about your child!
Please ignore my typos: “concerting” was meant to be ‘disconcerting’ and ‘advice’ meant ‘give advice’. Maybe I was never that verbal either (I was not - and this is often a problem, I am learning.) Also my son was two weeks late and delivered by (originally pitocin-induced) c-section -there are many who believe this has something to do w/autism. Any takers? Doesn’t make sense to me but many say so. http://www.city-data.com/forum/special-needs-children/147021-autistic-kids-their-births-5.html
Computers are a gift for these kids. My son can text to me better than talk to me. He always remembers what he reads far better than what he has been told and always has. Use that in your disciplining of them as they really do not always grasp what they are told.
Don’t let your above-average child be grouped with mentally-handicapped children. Autism is not a mental handicap - it’s a communication handicap at most.