How Do People with Autism Communicate?

Everyone has their own picture of the world and personal communication experiences, which are unique to them. It’s important to remember this in order to understand each other better. People with autism have specific features in how they perceive reality, which also manifest during communication.

1. All individuals with autism are different, but they share similar challenges
   According to the World Health Organization, one in every 160 children worldwide is born with an autism spectrum disorder. It affects how a person sees, hears, feels, and interacts with the world and others. They may find it more difficult to talk with others and recognize communication cues, which leads to great anxiety in such situations.
   Autism manifests differently: for some, the symptoms may be more noticeable. Some individuals may be very loud and sociable, others may be quiet and seek solitude, while others prefer communicating through gestures and signs. Although many face similar communication problems, the impact of other personal characteristics on their lives can vary significantly.
2. They may struggle to talk in noisy environments
   Another feature of communicating with individuals with autism is that they have difficulty concentrating on a conversation due to their brain’s inability to filter out irrelevant background noises. Many people with autism cannot filter sound streams and separate background noise from speech. In this case, multiple sound streams—street noise, music, conversations from passersby—compete for their attention. It’s hard for them to recognize what the speaker is saying and focus on the speech, so it’s not surprising that they might need repetition in such situations.
3. They may not pick up on nonverbal cues and signals
   Tone of voice and facial expressions play a significant role in a conversation, but people with autism may not perceive or understand how these nuances change the meaning of what’s being said. As a result, they are more likely to take words literally, and they may struggle to understand sarcasm, irony, metaphors, or wordplay. However, many individuals can learn to decipher these nonverbal signals, but it is quite challenging for them.
4. Context helps understanding
   Communication difficulties in individuals with autism also stem from the fact that they find it just as difficult to grasp the true meaning of something said if the context is unclear. Therefore, it is crucial to provide the most complete context during a conversation to help them understand the situation.
5. They may “interrupt” or initiate a conversation inappropriately
   Problems with understanding nonverbal signals can result in difficulties deciding when it’s appropriate to start a conversation. A characteristic of communication with people with autism is that it’s often better to speak to them first, invite them to a discussion, and ask direct questions.
6. Slow, unemotional, monotone speech
   The way they perceive the surrounding reality results in many individuals with autism needing more time and attention to think about what they want to say. As a result, they may speak very slowly and monotonously, stutter, emphasize the meaning of unexpected words, or dwell on details that others may find unnecessary. It’s very important not to rush them and not get distracted—on the contrary, they should be listened to attentively, as they are trying their best to make themselves understood as clearly as possible.
7. Apparent ease in communication
   Many people with high-functioning autism can easily mimic casual conversation. However, this is very difficult for them: they would prefer to send a text message or email, as this form of communication is often less stressful for people with autism than face-to-face conversations.
8. Unexpected ways of expressing emotions
   Many individuals with autism are not emotionless or cold, but their unique way of perceiving the world can cause them to express their feelings in unusual ways or exhibit atypical reactions. Sometimes, when such individuals experience strong emotions, they may have a hard time finding the words to express their feelings. In this case, they can be helped by asking simple and clear questions.
9. They may repeat words and phrases from the conversation
   This may be due to a desire to show that they heard what was said but are unable to immediately respond. By repeating the words, they buy themselves some time to collect their thoughts. It can also be due to anxiety and the need for reassurance or a lack of information needed to respond appropriately.
10. Sometimes it’s better to write than to call
    For some people with autism, it’s much easier to express themselves in writing rather than speaking—communicating through text messages or emails may be a more suitable way for them to engage in dialogue. This gives them time to think about their response and formulate their thoughts without the stress of maintaining a conversation. This way of communicating also helps them avoid having to interpret nonverbal cues. People with autism generally don’t enjoy phone conversations, as they have to respond quickly and can be distracted by background noise.

There are many ways—primarily psychological—to overcome communication problems. Additionally, many individuals with autism manage these difficulties to varying degrees through life experience. However, these challenges can be avoided altogether if stem cell therapy is undertaken at an early age. The patient’s own stem cells, implanted into their body, replace the damaged ones in the brain, making this method as natural, reliable, and safe as possible. This technology is used in leading clinics worldwide, including the Mardaleishvili Medical Center, where patients also receive support in preparing for treatment.

Undergo stem cell therapy and communicate without difficulties!