Communication difficulties: how to help a child with communication disorders

Communication is the ability to establish interpersonal relationships. A person can communicate by means of speech (verbal communication) but also by means of symbols and gestures (non-verbal communication). Speech is the act of communication between people using sounds according to certain language rules. Thanks to this skill, a person establishes social contacts, expresses his feelings, needs and thoughts. It is the activity of transmitting and receiving linguistic messages. The main tool in the process of communication is language, which enables more complete contact with the environment.  

From the moment of birth, a child has the ability to make sounds by which it communicates with the environment. As time goes on, it does so in an increasingly understandable way. Parents want their toddler's development, including his communication skills, to run smoothly. What problems may stand in the child's path, and what exercises should be performed to prevent them? The topic of communication difficulties is presented in the article below.

Shaping communication skills

Initially, the sounds made by the child are called non-verbal vocalizations that the toddler uses to communicate his needs. These first sound signals are the basis on which speech develops.

The sense of sight and hearing plays a significant role in the process of shaping communication skills.

The child learns to speak by listening to and observing the speaking mum or dad. Thanks to this, it can imitate the observed mimic movements, recreate heard sounds. Such stimulation is not only articulation exercises, but also early communication training.

 Communication disorder in children

In the process of acquiring communication skills, each child goes through stages that are determined by certain standards. It is worth knowing them and observing whether our toddler's development runs in accordance with them. Of course, it is important to remember that slight deviations from the norm are not disturbing as each child develops at its own pace. However, if the toddler:

• not babbling (or the babbling is poor);
• too long stops in one stage;
• does not take new language skills;
• has difficulty speaking simple sentences like: "mama oć" (mama come);
• does not differentiate the sounds of speech before reaching the age of 2 or pre-school age
  this may be a signal that his speech development is not going well.

Language communication disorders: scope and forms

There are many types of language communication disorders. They can have a different scope and take various forms - from simple to correct speech impediments, through selective difficulties in understanding and realizing individual sounds, to serious disturbances that significantly hinder establishing relations with the environment. They can be divided into:

Language disorders

They include difficulties in mastering grammatical forms, inability to express oneself consistently, and anomalies within the syntax.

Speech disorders

Abnormalities in the area of ​​articulation, phonation and speech fluency.

Thus, communication disorders include:

• dyslalia (also cleft dyslalia);
• stutter;
• oligophasia (a speech disorder in people with intellectual disabilities);
• children's speech hard of hearing i deaf;
• speech neuroses;
• children's speech z autism;
• aphasia;
• children's speech z Asperger's syndrome;
• dysarthria;
• schizophasia.

Methods of supportive and alternative communication in work with people with disabilities 

People with special communication needs often understand speech, but are unable to use it themselves, or their speech is not fully understandable to the environment due to significantly disturbed articulation or abnormal speech resonance.

Supportive communication 

They are methods of communication that support people with severely limited speech.

Communicationa alternativea 

It is introduced in people completely deprived of the possibility of verbal contact.

The purpose of including both forms of communication is to enable a person with a disability to communicate in various situations of everyday life.

Supportive and alternative methods of communication use other than verbal means of communication. These are manual, graphic, tactile and mixed systems. Manual systems they are based on gestures, e.g. sign language, phonogests. Graphics systems they use pictures, e.g. pictograms, Bliss). In touch systems the sense of feeling is important, e.g. Braille. Down mixed systems includes Makaton, which combines manual and graphic signs.

Language communication disorders in children with autism

According to modern research, autism belongs to the so-called neurodevelopmental disorders.

There is a set of features characteristic of this disorder. These are difficulties in processing information regarding the recognition of emotions and faces, reduced ability to create social bonds, poor ability to imitate movements, worse memory of social stimuli, weaker linguistic skills, mainly phonological (Pisula, 2014). Language communication disorders in children with autism are multifaceted. Irregularities in this respect concern both the development of language, speech and non-verbal communication.

According to literature data, half of autistic people do not use speech to communicate, do not understand the purpose of the expression and the meaning of language, and therefore cannot use it as a communication tool (Randall, Parker, 2010). Currently, the lack of speech development, associated with the lack of tendency to communicate, is considered as a characteristic feature of young children with autism (Skórczyńska, 2009).

Communication disorders in an autistic child may vary in severity. From complete lack of readiness to communicate, to impaired ability to initiate and maintain a conversation with others, despite good speech and language mastery. Often in autistic children there is mutism or specific speech that is incomprehensible to the environment. However, it is not related to intellectual development and is not a result of the occurrence of defects in the articulation organ.

Communication exercises for a child with autism

There is no single play pattern and set of communication exercises for a child with autism. In order to work effectively with an autistic child, you must first make an accurate diagnosis and get to know the child well, in order to determine the level of his development and, on this basis, adjust exercises and games to his needs.

In younger children suspected of autism, it is introduced most often therapy in the form of a sensory-motor game:

• modeling;
• finger painting;
• playing with various textures or sounds.

This form is conducive to learning to imitate and teaches different behaviors. It is important to provide the child with such conditions and an environment in which the toddler will feel safe. When choosing communication exercises for a child with autism, it is also worth following the child's interest. This is conducive to the development of proper relationship and communication.

Augmentative or alternative systems can be used to stimulate the development of communication skills. Children with autism usually have better developed visual than auditory processing skills, therefore the most commonly used systems are based on signs and symbols, e.g. pictograms, PCS or Makaton. These systems can replace verbal communication or play a role in supporting speech learning.

Źródła:

Pisula E "Autism. Causes, symptoms, therapy ”, Harmonia, 2014
Pilecki J, "Improvement, upbringing and teaching of people with deeper mental retardation", WNAP, 2002