Parents of children with Autism learn to read their non-verbal child’s communication early on. As a matter of fact all parents learn to read their child’s non-verbal communication. I would even go so far as to say people in general learn how to do it.
So learning to read non-verbal communication is not hard or unusual. What is unusual is when that is the primary form of communication and it goes on for a long period of time.
It is essential at some point that we remember to keep pairing verbal and non-verbal communication. This will help stimulate speech in our child if it is ever going to happen on any level.
Non-verbal communication is needed because we use it all the time. It also lets us know when something is wrong. This is particularly true when a typical person does not want us to know.
It gives our children the opportunity to make choices. After all making choices is critical to proving to other people that our child does understand even if they do no speak with their voice.
Many people believe our non-verbal child is not communicating with people, but they really are communicating. It is just different. Some parents of children with Autism have taught their child to sign or to use an alternative communication device.
In the past parents were worried that a child who signed or used a communication device would depend on it and not speak. Over time it has been recognized that if our children are going to speak with their voice it will happen anyway. Speaking even seems to be stimulated by the signing or the device.
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