Does My Child Have Autism or A Speech Delay?

Posted by EpicWatson on April 2nd, 2021

Experienced ABA Therapy Professionals in St. Louis Discuss Early Signs of Autism

Every parent eagerly awaits their child’s early developmental milestones. The first baby babble, the first coherent word, the first crawl, the first attempt to walk, and so on. When the child does not meet the age-specific markers, it is natural to feel anxious about their physical, emotional, and neurological development. 

Typically, between 18 months to 2 years, most children start talking and understanding some language. If your child talks very little or does not talk at all, it could be an indication of a speech delay. However, you may also want to consult your child’s pediatrician in order to identify or rule out Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While every non-verbal child may not have ASD, early diagnosis and Autism treatments, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy have the potential to erase the signs of Autism altogether. In fact, intensive and long-term ABA therapy can alter the course of life for children with ASD.  

The ABA therapy experts at AB Spectrum share some of the early indicators of ASD to help you distinguish between speech delay and Autism.

Recognizing the Early Signs of Speech Delay Versus ASD

Speech delays typically fall under three different categories:

• Receptive Delays: Ideally, between the ages of 18 to 24 months, your child should be able to understand simple requests. If your child finds it difficult to understand or respond to what others are saying, it may be a sign of receptive delays. For example, inability to follow instructions, such as throw something, pick up something, hand over something, and such. 
• Expressive Delays: Expressive speech takes shape in the form of speaking, vocalizations (such as crying or yelling), gesturing (waving, pointing), facial expressions (such as eye contact, smiling, crying), and writing. If your child is struggling to express thoughts or ideas, or exhibits poor language skills, such as omitting grammatical markers or using them incorrectly, it may be indicative of an expressive speech delay.
• Mixed Receptive Delays: Mixed receptive speech delay is essentially a combination or receptive and expressive speech delays. However, even if your child experiences mixed receptive delays, it does not necessarily mean they have Autism.

A speech delay is not the only indicator of ASD. If your child is missing some other critical milestones between the ages of 18 to 24 months, then you may want to discuss them with the child’s pediatrician.

Here are some developmental red flags to watch for:

• Lack of Pointing: Pointing is a critical step in child development. When children point at things, they are expressing an interest to you, or attempting to attract your attention. It could be something you are holding or something within their line of sight. The lack of pointing may be one of the indicators related to ASD.
• Lack of Understanding: There is a difference between understanding a request or instruction and responding to it. Even if the child does not follow through with a request, there should be some indication that they understood what you said. If basic understanding is missing, then you may need to probe further. 
• Lack of Imitation Play: At this age, your child should be imitating things as part of the play. It could be in the form of body movements (such as clapping hands, waving, dancing), actions with objects (such as banging a toy drum, or flying a toy airplane), or sounds or words. If the child isn’t responding to imitation play, there may be merit in highlighting it to your child’s pediatrician.
• Lack of Ability to Play with Toys or Handle Objects: Usually children love to play with multiple toys, even though they may have their favorites. However, if your child fixates on just one toy for long periods, without using language, it could be more than just a speech delay.

A speech delay alone does not indicate Autism. However, if your child experiences a combination of some of the above factors, you may want to speak to their pediatrician without waiting for the next scheduled visit. As per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), experienced professionals can make very reliable formal ASD diagnosis by age 2. At times, it may be possible to detect Autism at 18 months or younger. Recognizing the signs of developmental concerns and ensuring proper behavioral interventions, such as ABA therapy will help your child in several different ways:

1. Developing cognitive abilities, motor skills, verbal skills and essential life skills
2. Promoting function and independence
3. Improving memory and attention to enjoy success in academic and professional endeavors
4. Enhancing language and communication skills for improved social interactions

Distinguish between a speech delay and Autism, and act early in order to get the best treatment for your child.

About Autism and Behavior Spectrum (AB Spectrum)

Specializing in the Reggio Emilia ABA philosophy, AB Spectrum offers flexible, high impact ABA therapy in and around St. Louis, Missouri. Their services include in-home ABA therapy as well as clinic-based programs at their Autism treatment centers in St. Charles and Chesterfield, Missouri. Their team of qualified and experienced ABA practitioners includes Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) who specialize in several techniques and interventions based on the principles of ABA. At AB Spectrum, the goal is to provide tailor-made ABA therapy that addresses every child’s unique needs and developmental goals, along with improving the overall quality of life for the entire family.

Call 314.648.2687 or schedule a consultation with the experts at AB Spectrum. Their credentials and track record makes them one of the most trusted ABA therapy providers in and around St. Louis, Missouri.