“Do children with autism always have speech delays?”

No, there are some children that have Autism that do not have speech delays but still have difficulty with pragmatic language or sensory issues.

Yes majority of the time. If not speech they may have language disorder. Often language comprehension problems more than expression. Higher level individuals with Autism may have subtle differences in pragmatic communication. This means they can be inappropriate or get stuck on a topic that others may not be interested. They often have poor eye contact. They may have difficulty understanding nuances and expressions. They can be too literal. Speech delay is the wrong word. Its more communication disorder which can manifest as speech h, language or pragmatic disorder. Sometimes even voice can be different and may show pitch differences like very low or very high pitch. It all depends.

Yes. A social communication delay is a part of the autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

Ali Matisse, MS CCC-SLP

Hi,

I cannot say that 100% of children with autism have a speech or language disorder, however, many often do present with processing issues or social skills deficits. It completely depends on the person. They should be evaluated by a Speech and Language Pathologist to determine exact areas to address. You can find an SLP local them at: ASHA.org/findpro

Karen Young, MS, CCC-SLP