Pragmatics Of Language : Autism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological disorder that impacts a person’s ability to communicate and form relationships. It is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the US. The diagnosis for autism is rising 10-17% each year with an estimated 2 million people diagnosed with the disorder. People who fall under the spectrum have pervasive deficits in social communications and social interactions across multiple contexts. They have repetitive and restrictive patterns of behaviors, activities or interest. The DSM-5 diagnoses this disorder under two different criteria’s: Social communications and social interaction deficits and repetitive behaviors. To meet the criteria an individual must demonstrate all of these

The effects of autism on communication are extremely varied. Most individuals do not have any trouble with pronunciation. The problems lie in using language effectively. Common problems are lack of eye contact, poor attention, being able to point objects to others, and difficulty with the 'give and take' in normal conversation. Some individuals sometimes use language in unusual ways, retaining features of earlier

Bondy, A., Esch, B. E., Esch, J. W., & Sundberg, M. (2010). Questions on verbal behavior and its application to individuals with autism: An interview with the experts. The Behavior Analyst Today, 11(3), 186.

Many of us have heard about Autism, also knows as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Some have a family member, a friend, or know someone who has ASD. Increasingly it is becoming a more common disability. “Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S” (Autism Speaks). Autism has no respect for gender, race, social class and or ethnicity. “Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that involves abnormal development and function of the brain.” (Autism Center of Excellence) People who have autism have a lot of difficulties with social skills, communication and also will develop behavior issues. These behavior problems of an individual with autism can vary at times and can go from mild to severe. According to the Autism Science Foundation it says,” Many people with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to different sensations. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASD can vary—from gifted to severely challenged.” The causes and symptoms, as well as the diagnosis, and the treatments of autism vary.

People with autism experience what professionals call the Triad of Impairments, part of this trio is communication. They have difficulty processing and remembering verbal information. Problems lie in using language effectively, Common problems are lack of eye contact, poor attention, being able to point objects to others, and difficulty with the 'give and take ' in normal conversation. Some individuals sometimes use language in unusual ways, retaining features of earlier stages of language development for long periods or throughout their lives. Some speak only single words, while others repeat a mimicked phrase over and over The body language of people with autism can be difficult for other people to understand. Facial

Autism affects many children each year and it is important for parents to be aware of delays in their child’s development, in in any area of communication. According to a study by the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders, autistic children possessing a language difficulty or delay have a seventy percent chance of showing fluent speech by the age of eight (“Speech”). Although a child shows delay or impairment in language at a young age, it is possible for them to later on exhibit normal language development. Parents should be aware of normal language benchmarks, such as when a child begins babbling, imitating verbally, and using spoken and first words. If a child is lacking skills normally possessed by typically developing children, having said child

Haddon implements a first-person perspective to directly describe the unique mentality, attitude and logic of Christopher, without implicitly stating his impediment, allowing the audience to empathise and gain comprehensive understanding of his extraordinary ability. Christopher’s inability to comprehend figurative language is a dominant characteristic of Asperger’s syndrome, as concluded by multiple researchers (Vogindroukas, 2011), subsequently, his perspective enables the audience to experience situations through a unique lens. This is evident within Christopher’s comprehension of a metaphor ‘I think it should be called a lie because… people do not have skeletons in their cupboard’ (pg. 20). His explanation proceeding that statement transforms

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder that affects a person’s social interaction and communication. This disorder is mainly characterized by having difficulty with social interaction, communication, and having restricted behaviors. Difficulty with social interaction means someone will struggle to communicate their feelings/emotions, understand how others feel or think, develop peer relationships, and understand nonverbal behaviors (eye gaze, facial expressions, etc). Difficulty with communication will vary among the individual. Some individuals will develop expressive language, while others will not. The speech of those that do develop expressive language will often be repetitive, rote, and lack

Per the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), autism spectrum disorder or autism is defined as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction. It is characterized by difficulty communicating, forming relationships with people, using language correctly and comprehending abstract concepts. It has the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors. Many challenges exist in the use of

Individuals who have Autism will often have difficulties interpreting both the verbal & non-verbal language, tone of voice & other people’s gestures. Many people on the Spectrum will also have a very literal understanding of language. They will often think what other people say, they mean. For instance, if someone says “It’s raining cats & dogs”, individuals with Autism may then look to the sky trying to see the cats & dogs falling, or if someone says “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse”, they may be disgusted that someone will eat a horse.

The inability to communicate manifests in most autistic patients. (53) Many individuals with autism have language deficits, ranging from language

ASD can cause impairment in multiple areas of development, such a psychological, cognitive, language, and even behavior. By the age of two months, a normal developing infant begins to vocalize by babbling and often engage in social mannerisms such as pointing or verbal communication. Social attention is sought by infants through pointing at an object, imitative communication, and greeting others (Crane & Winsler, 2008, p. 246). Infants developing ASD are deficient in their ability to socialize, and oftentimes that is an initial indicator of the onset of ASD. Infants who are later diagnosed fail to respond to typical environmental cues such as hearing their name called, nonverbal and verbal communication, and sociocommunicative factors (Crane & Winsler, 2008, p. 247).

Autism is a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts (“Autism” Def). It’s a disability that affects a person’s communication skills and/or changes in behavior. Autism is usually diagnosed before three years of age and has a lifelong persistence. The causes of this disorder is unclear and there is currently no cure for it. There are two core characteristics of autism. The first being a deficiency in social communication and social interaction. The second is a restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, and activities. Clinical features of autism include walking on tiptoes, lack of eye contact, extreme dislike of certain foods or sounds, poor communication skills, repetitive behaviors, and

People with Autism are presented with difficulties with social interactions, in particular, establishing and maintaining relationships. There is a lack of responsiveness to non-verbal forms of communications, like facial expressions, physical gestures and eye contact. Often, they are unable to fully express needs due to being unable to interpret and understand others needs. These lack of social interactions effect their ability to share others interests and activities, which gives the appearance that they are socially distant. The cause of their inability to understand non-verbal forms of communication which causes them to become withdrawn socially; is due to a delay in speech.

People with autism have a lifelong developmental condition that not only affects the way they relate to their environment and interaction with others, but also non-verbal interactions may be misread. (Autism Spectrum