Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Nonverbal Autism?What Causes Nonverbal Autism?Diagnosing Nonverbal AutismWill My Child Talk?Other Ways to CommunicateFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Nonverbal Autism?
What Causes Nonverbal Autism?
Diagnosing Nonverbal Autism
Will My Child Talk?
Other Ways to Communicate
Frequently Asked Questions
Nonverbal autism isn’t an actual diagnosis. It’s a term used for a subgroup of people withautism spectrum disorder(ASD) who never learn to speak more than a few words. An estimated 25% to 35% of autistic children are considered nonverbal.
Nonverbal autism tends to occur in people with highsupport needs, or what is known aslevel 3 autism. In some cases, a child will eventually learn to speak. For those who don’t, new approaches and technologies are making it possible for autistic kids tocommunicatein other ways.
What Are the Different Types of Autism?
Cultura/Emma Kim Collection/Riser/Getty Images
Despite the prevalence of autistic people who don’t speak, the term “nonverbal autism” has no official status as a diagnosis. In part, that’s because there is no clear line between verbal and nonverbal autistic people.
Some people with nonverbal autism do develop the ability to use a few words in a meaningful manner but are unable to carry on any kind of significant conversation.For example, they may say “car” to mean “let’s go for a ride.” Yet they would not be able to answer the question, “Where should we go?”
No one really knows why some autistic people can’t, or don’t, use spoken language. It is especially puzzling because quite a few nonverbal people on the spectrum can and do choose to communicate using American Sign Language, picture cards, and a range of digital tools.
Some autistic people also have childhoodapraxia of speech, a neurological disorder that makes spoken language extremely difficult. But most nonverbal individuals on the autism spectrum don’t have apraxia.
Until relatively recently, it was assumed that all nonverbal autistic children were intellectually disabled for the simple reason that their IQ scores fell under 70; those who score below 70 are considered intellectually disabled.
It became clear that typical IQ tests are poor tools for measuring intellectual ability in autistic children, particularly when those children are nonverbal.The reasons for this are:
Ideally, determining the IQ of a nonverbal autistic child should include bothnonverbal IQ testsand non-test-related observations.
The TONI (Test of Nonverbal Intelligence) is one example of a nonverbal IQ test that is usually a better option for nonverbal kids and autistic children in general. Observation of nonverbal children in familiar settings can also provide evaluators with real-world information about abilities versus test-taking skills.
Diagnosing a child with nonverbal autism is challenging.
For one thing, it’s not always easy to distinguish between children who are nonverbal (no spoken language), preverbal (younger children who have not yet developed verbal language), or non-communicative (have neither verbal nor nonverbal communication skills).
Research has revealed differences in brain function in nonverbal autistic people using instruments such as electroencephalograms (to measure brainwaves) and magnetic resonance imaging (to measure brain activity). The studies are an effort to better understand what is going on inside the mind of a person who does not or cannot talk.
Other Autism Traits
Autism traits are present in all children with ASD, whether they are verbal or nonverbal. Autistic people with these traits can:
Other potential causes of being non- or minimally verbal may have nothing to do with autism, and these will likely be ruled out before attributing them to autism. These include hearing problems, selective mutism, neurological disorders, and intellectual disabilities.
Will My Child Learn to Talk?
Quite a few autistic children with delayed speech gain the ability to communicate with spoken language.Some become quite fluent. Others, however, never gain more than a few words, if that.
There are many techniques for encouraging and improving spoken language for autistic children. There is no guarantee that any particular approach will be effective for any given child. Different approaches that can improve verbal communication include:
While some nonverbal autistic people aren’t able to use spoken language effectively, they may be able to communicate with written language, American sign language, picture cards, or digital communication devices.
Once an autistic person can effectively communicate, even without spoken language, their ability to engage in the world expands dramatically.
In recent years, numerousappshave been developed to help nonverbal autistic kids communicate more effectively. One of these isProloquo2Go, in which users touch images on the screen to express their ideas, and the app “speaks” for them.
However, it’s important to steer clear of hoaxes that sound too good to be true. In the world of autism, one of these potential pitfalls is “facilitated communication,” in which a therapist “supports” the arm of an autistic person while they type.
A Word From Verywell
If a child isn’t hitting their developmental milestones for speaking or using words to communicate, talk to a healthcare provider for an initial evaluation. They can then refer you to autism specialists. The sooner a child is diagnosed as nonverbal, the sooner they can receive treatment that may improve their ability to speak and communicate.
Frequently Asked QuestionsDepending on their intellectual and cognitive abilities, many nonverbal people can get jobs that don’t require speaking, such as being a janitor, a gardener, or working in a library restocking shelves.Yes, nonverbal children can learn to read and write, depending on their intellectual abilities. Various strategies, devices, and apps can help nonverbal children express themselves in writing.
Depending on their intellectual and cognitive abilities, many nonverbal people can get jobs that don’t require speaking, such as being a janitor, a gardener, or working in a library restocking shelves.
Yes, nonverbal children can learn to read and write, depending on their intellectual abilities. Various strategies, devices, and apps can help nonverbal children express themselves in writing.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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