Some children with autism may start talking at 12-16 months. Most don't start talking until later. Some will start talking between the ages of 2-3 years. Other children talk even later, and some children never learn to talk.
Some children with ASD develop language after age 5. “There is a burst of kids in the 6 to 7 age range who do get language,” says Wodka, who currently leads recruitment and research efforts for the SPARK study at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.
Researchers published the hopeful findings that, even after age 4, many nonverbal children with autism eventually develop language.
Some may develop language and communication skills at later ages than their peers, and some may develop their language in a different order. Some autistic children will develop spoken language in a typical way, but they may need support in other areas of communication, such as social communication or fluency.
Because autism spectrum disorder varies in severity with each child, there is no hard and fast rule. It is not uncommon for children with ASD to begin developing speech in the same manner as typical children, as well as to regress in speech and language comprehension around two years old.
Particular changes or challenges in a 3-year-old can sometimes indicate autism. Possible signs of autism include always playing alone, not speaking, and unusual body movements, among others.
Nonverbal autism means your child may not talk at all or may talk very little. A child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that has not begun to verbalize by the age of four is considered to have nonverbal autism. About 25% to 50% of children are impacted by nonverbal autism.
Type 2 autism, or level 2 autism, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how an individual communicates and behaves. They are compromised in social communication, exhibiting atypical social behaviors, and may even walk away in the middle of an interaction.
Autistic speech delays usually occur along with other communication issues, such as not using gestures, not responding to their name, and not showing interest in connecting with people. Other possible causes of speech delays include hearing loss and developmental delays.
The study brings hope to those parents who worry that children who are not talking by age 4 or 5 are unlikely to develop speech at all. Some children with ASD develop meaningful language after age 5. "There is a burst of kids in the 6- to 7- age range who do get language," Dr. Wodka said.
Decades ago, many, if not most, people diagnosed with autism had little or no spoken language. At the turn of the 21st century, experts noted that up to one half of children and adults who have autism “do not use speech functionally.”4 But the percentage of verbal people with autism has grown, for several reasons.
Level 1 is the mildest, or “highest functioning” form of autism, which includes those who would have previously been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Individuals with ASD level 1 may have difficulty understanding social cues and may struggle to form and maintain personal relationships.
Most people with autism (though by no means all) do have the ability to talk. Most of the time, though, people with autism talk differently from their neurotypical peers.
Nonverbal autism is a subset of autism where the person does not learn how to speak. It is estimated that 25% to 50% of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) never develop spoken language beyond a few words or utterances.
The researchers found that, in fact, most of these children did go on to acquire language skills. Nearly half (47 percent) became fluent speakers. Over two-thirds (70 percent) could speak in simple phrases.
A speech delay is an early indicator of ASD in young children, but it is NOT the only signifier. Every child is unique. It is often said “If you've met one individual with autism, you've met one individual with autism.” The opposite is often said for late talkers.
Possible causes.
Problems with a child's tongue or the roof of their mouth, which makes it hard to form sounds and words. Hearing loss. Kids who've had a lot of ear infections can have hearing problems. A learning disability.
Early medical challenges may slow development, but most children are able to catch up to their same-age peers.
There can be several reasons why your 4-year-old child is not talking. Some possible reasons can be hearing loss, neurological disorders, intellectual disability, lack of stimulation, cognitive delay, and speech and language development.
Children with level 3 autism often find it challenging to develop their communication and social skills. They are likely to be non-verbal and unable to use spoken language when interacting with other people, and may even be unaware there are people around them.
Level 1 autism: traits and behaviors
Inflexibility with ideas and actions. Difficulty switching between activities. Executive functioning limitations. Difficulty building and maintaining social relationships.
Level 1 autism is the mildest form of autism, but it is still defined as needing support. Some people with level 1 autism have difficulty in a mainstream classroom due to sensory challenges and are more comfortable in a smaller class setting.
Some children with autism may start talking at 12-16 months. Most don't start talking until later. Some will start talking between the ages of 2-3 years. Other children talk even later, and some children never learn to talk.
While children with autism don't appear to just "get better" over time without intervention, most do improve over time with therapies and maturity. Some improve a great deal.
Some language development can occur between the ages of 5 and 7 years, as well as, sometimes, up to the age of 13 years. A 2013 study of autistic children with speech delay found that 47% became fluent speakers after the age of 4 years and that 70% began using phrases.