Communication is often a deficit for children with Autism, and this can lead to tantrum behaviors. Imagine, seeing something you want and trying to gain access to it, but no one understands what you are asking for. Imagine being hungry or needing help, and no one understands to aid you. This daily struggle can cause constant frustration and often disruptive behaviors decrease as communicative ability increases. In this section, you will find a starting point for two of the best practices for teaching communication to children with Autism: Sign Language, and Picture Exchange
American Sign Language (ASL) is a popular and effective way to communicate with your child if he/she isn't able to speak. Learning to communicate with your child through sign language will not inhibit them from learning to speak, especially if you communicate by combining a sign with a word and object:
Example: Modeling the sign for "milk", helping your child sign "milk" and then handing your child milk, all while verbalizing
This video displays examples of the most useful words for young children.
This is a quick introduction to basic picture exchange, which is a popular method to building vocabulary in children with Autism. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a trademarked company, however the same method can be applied at home by cutting out labels on favorite foods or printing pictures out of favorite toys.
There is an app, called the Label Pics App, available in the app store. This allows you to take a picture with the camera on your phone and then write a label on the picture before printing out a PDF. This is a great resource for at-home communication, or ask your child's teacher for copies of the same pictures that your child uses at school.
This is a more in-depth lesson of the logic behind picture exchange. It is a common misconception that using pictures to communicate will hinder verbal ability. On the contrary, building a child's vocabulary through pictures often helps them to correlate words with everyday objects.