One of the major characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorders is delayed language and communication development. Many people think that this means the child has impaired speech, but speech is only one aspect that affects children with autism. The other two aspects are language and communication. Most individuals do not realize that distinguishable differences exist between the three categories. Speech is the verbal use of language, language is the organization and meaning of words or symbols, and communication is the recognition and understanding of the language. Difficulties in each of these areas manifest themselves differently at varying levels of the disability. Not every characteristic is evident in each individual. It is also important to recognize that both schools and families will be faced with the challenge of facilitating communication in children with autism. Therefore, this section will outline those characteristics most prevalent to the overall population and address some techniques for improving communication skills.

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