When Is a Child Considered Nonverbal?

At almost ten years old, my son, Joey, doesn’t speak often. At most, he’s said a total of 30 different words in his life, although he can repeat certain words and phrases. He repeats his name and says words like “silly” but has never been able to hold a conversation. He is considered nonverbal.

Just because my son cannot speak doesn’t mean he can’t communicate. He uses nonverbal communication skills to let his mother and me know what he wants. For someone who doesn’t speak, he has a lot to say.

If your child faces communication challenges, download our free communication cards to help them express their needs and feelings with ease:

What does nonverbal mean?

In its simplest definition, nonverbal means not involving spoken language. This doesn’t mean the person can’t say anything, but it does mean they don’t often communicate audibly.

They may use sounds to communicate what they want, but those sounds rarely, if ever, sound like words.

There can be many different potential causes for children to be nonverbal. These causes include:

• autism spectrum disorder
• language development and speech sound disorder
• intellectual disability
• hearing impairment
• neurological conditions like Parkinson’s or cerebral palsy
• brain injuries
• anxiety
• depression

Just because children are nonverbal doesn’t mean they can’t communicate. Many children will use gestures and sign language to direct their parents to what they want. Others may use augmentative and alternative communication devices to communicate.

Speech therapy can help children who may be experiencing speech delays.

What is nonverbal autism?

Nonverbal autism describes those on the spectrum with significant difficulties with verbal communication. They may be minimally verbal or completely nonverbal, but they can’t communicate through spoken language.

Nonverbal children with autism experience communication challenges when trying to convey thoughts or needs.

There are different levels of autism diagnosis. Children with nonverbal autism are often diagnosed at level three. This level usually requires significant support for everyday life.

It should be noted that while a nonverbal autistic child can’t communicate verbally, they can often understand the language spoken to them. This is usually the case with my son. He uses an augmentative and alternative communication device to ask for snacks or a car ride.

However, he understands when we speak to him. He may not speak, but he responds when we say his name or tell him to put on his shoes to leave the house. A lack of speech does not mean a lack of understanding.

When is a child considered nonverbal?

Children with autism are often considered nonverbal when they don’t use speech to communicate. Due to delays, they may be missing speech milestones. They primarily use signs, gestures, or facial expressions to convey their wants and needs.

Many times, if a child hasn’t started speaking by the age of four, they are considered nonverbal.

Some speech milestones that should be considered include:

• Coos and laughs by five months
• Babbling between six to 11 months
• Four to six words by 17 months
• 50 words by 23 months
• Three-word sentences by three years old
• Non-family members are able to understand most of what is said by four years old.

Joey only ever hit the first two milestones. At nine years old, he coos, laughs, and babbles but doesn’t really talk. When he had no words at 23 months, we sought an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

Over time, he has developed a few words, including his name, “silly,” and occasionally has gotten out “dada.”

We worked with his preschool and then his elementary school to help formulate an individualized education plan that included speech therapy.

We also enrolled him in speech therapy outside school. It’s been a fight to get him the amount of therapy he needs for where he falls on the autism spectrum.

While many children like Joey would be considered minimally verbal due to the few words he says, the lack of context for his speech sounds led doctors to identify him as nonverbal.

Can someone be nonverbal but not autistic?

It’s certainly possible for nonverbal children not to fall on the autism spectrum. Neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy have been shown to impact speech.

Brain injuries can cause people to become nonverbal. Hearing impairments have been linked to speech delays. Even anxiety and environmental factors could affect a person’s speech development.

Speech issues are not exclusive to autism, and it should be noted that each individual deserves to have their communication needs supported. That may include speech-generating devices or speech therapy to help boost communication skills.

Supporting nonverbal children

As a parent, you may wonder how you can help your nonverbal children who struggle with spoken language. The most important thing is to show them you support them.

You must be patient and learn to recognize nonverbal cues. If they begin to vocalize something, let them know they did a good job and encourage them to continue.

Consider learning sign language, using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), or getting an AAC device to support their communication. While some individuals develop speech over time, others remain nonverbal and effectively express themselves through these alternative methods.

You can turn speech practice into a fun learning experience! Download our free speech practice flashcards and help your child improve their communication:

Once your nonverbal children can relay what they want to you, this can clear up a lot of confusion and frustration for both parties communicating.

Embracing different communication styles

Just because a child may struggle with verbal communication and language development doesn’t mean they can’t communicate. They have ways to relay information they need to convey without actually speaking. If your child struggles with language development, seeking a speech therapist could help them overcome those delays.

It’s important for parents and caregivers to embrace communication styles beyond verbal. If you don’t pay attention to factors other than speech, you may miss out on some amazing things your child is trying to tell you.

However, as we learn more about nonverbal communication skills, we can make the world a more accepting place for those who struggle to speak.

FAQs

Q: What qualifies as nonverbal?

A: Nonverbal children with autism don’t use words to communicate. They tend not to engage in speech, preferring to communicate through gestures, sign language, or facial expressions.

Q: Why would a 2-year-old be nonverbal?

A: Two-year-old children may be nonverbal for various reasons, including shyness, hearing loss, or developmental delays. Autism spectrum disorder or cerebral palsy could also be responsible, but two years old is too soon to tell if those conditions are causing the child to be nonverbal or just delayed in speech.

Q: At what age should a child be verbal?

A: A child’s language development should result in words by 15 months, word combinations and sentences by two years, and complex sentences by five years old.

Q: When will I know if my child is nonverbal?

A: Nonverbal children are usually diagnosed as such if they are not speaking by the age of four. However, since language development can occur at different rates, some children with autism may only be experiencing a speech delay rather than truly being nonverbal.

Q: Do nonverbal children eventually talk?

A: Many nonverbal children with autism will develop language skills over time despite having delays when they are younger. Early intervention and support programs have been designed to help children experiencing a language delay improve their communication skills.

The post When Is a Child Considered Nonverbal? appeared first on Autism Parenting Magazine.

Get a FREE issue of Autism Parenting Magazine at https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/freegift/

• Source: https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/when-is-a-child-considered-nonverbal/