Pediatrician Questions Autism

Why does autism affect speech?

My daughter was diagnosed with autism when she was five years old, and one of the symptoms that she presented with was a delay in her speech. Why does autism affect speech so much?

4 Answers

Autism affects children socially. Individuals with autism have a harder time learning through social experiences. Neurotypical individuals learn much of their speech and language through social interaction and observation, and don't have as much difficulty making those connections. Since autism affects social learning, it can be harder for children on the spectrum to learn speech and language without explicit instruction.
It all depends on the person and not to worry so much, If she is young, she will out grow it usually. After her teen years then you can worry. She needs to relax more about life and that takes time and maturity. A speech therapist can help and many schools provide that, of course at an extra cost. check into that.
The exact cause of autism is not known. But the diagnosis depends on delayed social interaction, most commonly speech delay and repetitive behaviors. Getting speech therapy may help.
The following link will provide some insight into your question:

https://iancommunity.org/cs/articles/speech_and_language_problems