Piece by Piece: Language is Often Literal

According to Autism Speaks, approximately 25 percent of those with autistic spectrum disorders are non-verbal. That does not always mean no words, but it does mean that their verbal capacity is so impacted, they virtually cannot communicate verbally.

My son, Peter, did not speak in full sentences until he was 4½ and even then it took a long time before he really had the ability to express himself. Peter still receives speech therapy. He has a tremendous vocabulary and understands more than he can share with others. His real challenge at this point is idiomatic expressions and answering how and why questions.

I never realized how often we use expressions that on the surface make no sense if you take everything literally. Then I spent a large portion of my life talking with Peter. For example, Peter was pestering me to do something and I was in the middle of something. I told him to wait a minute and let me finish and then I could help him. The next thing I knew he was counting out loud to 60. A minute goes much more quickly in reality than in expression.

I have learned to ask for at least five minutes at all times, although I do point out that it is an expression, not an exact count. Peter is trying out expressions himself now. He doesn’t trust himself though. Anytime he uses one, his next sentence is something like “That is just an expression you know.”

Those that deal with people who have an autistic spectrum disorder need to remember that even those with verbal skills sometimes have gaps like these. Emergency personnel, educators and medical personnel, for example, need to monitor their language and stay as concrete as possible in order to keep miscommunication at a minimum.

Peter has come to understand that we do not always mean what we say. In fact, now when he does not like what I have said, he will quietly ask, “That is just an expression, right?” Sometimes I have to break the news that I meant exactly what I said. He is figuring out language one piece at a time.

 

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