About Autism & Asperger's Syndrome

Do you know a child on the autism spectrum?  Are you concerned that your child is showing signs or autism or Asperger's syndrome?  Talking Matters can provide assessment,  diagnosis and therapy for children on the autism spectrum.  Explore this section of our website to see what our speech pathologists can offer.       

Autism and Asperger's Syndrome are two disorders on the Autism Spectrum. The word "spectrum" is used because children and adults with these disorders show a wide range of skills, abilities and difficulties and while they share some similiarities, no two are exactly the same. For example people on the spectrum can range from highly intelligent to intellectually disabled and from highly verbal to having no speech.

People with Autism have difficulties with social interaction and show repetitive behaviours and/or restricted interests. They have significant difficulties with communication skills and language. They may or may not have an intellectual disaibility.

People with Asperger's Syndrome also have difficulties with social interaction and show repetitive behaviours and/or restricted interests. They do not have significant difficulties with language, though their language skills may be somewhat unusual, and they have difficulties with using language in social interactions. They have average or above average intelligence.

Signs which indicate the possibility that a child may be on the Autism Spectrum include:

• reduced eye contact
• not showing things of interest to others
• not sharing experiences with others
• not responding when spoken to
• limited pointing and social smiling
• more interested in objects than people
• prefering to play alone
• ignoring or avoiding other children
• having difficulty relating to children of their own age
• seeming to be in a "world of their own"
• unusual or repetitive movements
• unusual ways of playing such as lining things up or spinning
• rituals or routines that must be done in sequence
• unusual or very strong interests
• unusual fears
• sensitivity to textures, touch, tastes, sounds or light
• delayed or unusual lanaguge skills

Children on the spectrum will not show all these signs but will show a number of them.

If your child has a number of these signs you may wish to speak to your speech pathologist, psychologist or pediatrician about an assessment.  Talking Matters speech pathologists are a good place to start if you need help working out what help your child needs and how to find it.