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Improving Communications with Children with Autism and Special Needs Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Strategies
As a paediatrician, we are taught that the developmental progress of a three to four-year-old child should include well over 500 words and that a child should be able to describe things and situations in a meaningful way. This milestone is one that all parents strive for as it is an important part...
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The Development of Theatre Arts to Facilitate Social and Communication Skills for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder
There is an emerging though limited body of research demonstrating the effectiveness of theatre-related activities to facilitate social and communication skills, teach emotional recognition and expression, non-verbal behaviors and gestures, listening and conversation skills, eye contact, as well as...
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There’s More to Communication than Language, Grammar, and Vocabulary
Autism, in the general sense, is often defined as a disorder involving deficits of communication. This is certainly true for nonverbal autistics, as well as for those who cannot be “reached” even though they are capable of expressing speech. What about those autistics who are fully verbal and...
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The Importance of Communication in Neurodiverse Relationships
Neurodiverse relationships, in which one or both partners are on the autism spectrum, can be among the strongest partnerships. However, neurological differences present unique challenges, particularly related to communication in neurodiverse relationships. Partners may report feeling as though they...
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Communication Modality Decisions for Individuals with ASD
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have complex needs, and their challenges include social deficits, communication difficulties, and behavioral challenges (APA, 2017). The needs of individuals with ASD necessitate the expertise of several professions, including behavior analysis and...
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Improving Communication Skills: Using Behavior Analytic Science Effectively
Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often face significant challenges learning socially appropriate and effective communication skills. Because these challenges are present across all ages and stages of development, programming targets can range from communicating basic wants and needs to...
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An Overview of Communication Problems in Children with ASD
What is autism spectrum disorder? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment that people with ASD can...
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Building Communication Competence through Milieu Speech-Language Therapy
Speech and language therapy treatment is typically viewed in two ways: pull-out versus push-in. Pull-out therapy occurs outside of the student’s classroom for an allotted amount of time, typically without his or her peers, while push-in therapy, in the school setting, is when services are...
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Communication in Brain May Be Remarkably Constant in Autism
Communication in brain activity in people with autism are unusually consistent over seconds — and even years, two new studies suggest.1,2 One study shows that patterns of connectivity remain stable in autistic adolescents, whereas they tend to change and specialize in controls. The other study...
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Autism and Comorbidities: Opening the Pathway to Communication Through Treatment
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder commonly suffer from other medical conditions, or comorbidities, that can sometimes mask or even exacerbate symptoms of autism. At the top of the list are psychiatric conditions, neurological issues and even gastrointestinal problems. In fact, 70 percent...
