Communication Goals Should Fit the Person—not Force the Person to Fit the Goal
Autistic children and teens can have very different communication profiles. Some need support developing functional language; others may speak fluently but need help with self-advocacy and navigating complex communication demands.
What Can Autism-Related Communication Therapy Support?
Therapy may support functional communication, expressive or receptive language, self-advocacy, and other communication priorities identified by the individual and family.
Trusted resource
ASHA provides information about autism, communication, neurodiversity, and individualized communication support.
Individualized Means Individualized
Therapy begins with what makes communication more useful, effective, comfortable, and meaningful for the individual—not with a generic checklist of how someone “should” communicate.
Goals may involve expressive or receptive language, functional communication, self-advocacy, or other areas identified through evaluation and family/client priorities.
Strengths matter too
An evaluation should identify what already works well, the communication environments that are easier or harder, and which supports lead to increased successful participation.
Functional Language
Communicating needs, sharing ideas and experiences, and making choices.
Self-Advocacy
Helping the individual communicate preferences, boundaries, or the need for support.
Family Partnership
Strategies that fit everyday routines rather than only working inside a therapy session.