Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP
While autism is typically recognized in childhood, this isn’t always the case. It’s not uncommon for adults to receive an autism diagnosis later in life. They may have always been aware of their differences, or they may now be seeing themselves with a fresh perspective.
Many adults with autism find that speech therapy helps them make the most of their strengths. In speech therapy, autistic adults can learn to communicate in a way that’s effective and authentic to who they are. This article explains some of the key ways speech therapy can help adults with autism, along with what to look for in a speech therapist.
Understanding autism and neurodivergence
Autism is a naturally occurring difference in processing, learning, and communicating. Sometimes called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it refers to a broad range of developmental conditions and behaviors. Autistic people often have differences and challenges in speech and nonverbal communication, interpersonal relationships, and social interactions. Autism, like ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia, is a form of neurodivergence. Neurodivergence refers to people whose brains work differently than what society considers “normal.” Neurodivergent people may have differences in communication, learning, social preferences, and behavior.
A neurodiversity-affirming speech therapist will accept your differences, focus on your strengths, and support you as you build new skills.
Being neurodivergent may cause some difficulties in daily life and social interactions. This is where speech therapy may be helpful. However, it’s important to find a neurodiversity-affirming speech therapist. The term neurodiversity-affirming refers to people who view these brain differences as natural. They provide care to neurodivergent people by accepting their differences, focusing on their strengths, and working to support them while building new skills. It’s important to note that being neurodiversity-affirming doesn’t mean we deny that autistic people may have challenges. Rather, we provide support and accommodations in areas that are meaningful to the person, instead of trying to “fix” them. We presume the person is competent, and when challenges come up, we find ways to adjust the environment and increase society’s understanding while helping the person build new skills. You can learn more about neurodiversity-affirming speech therapy in this article.
Why is autism sometimes not diagnosed until adulthood?
While many autistic individuals receive a diagnosis in childhood, others aren’t diagnosed until later in life. This can happen for a few reasons. One reason may be that the person did not show “typical” or expected signs of autism. The person also may have “masked” throughout their childhood, even if they didn’t realize they were doing it. Masking is when a person changes their behavior in order to appear more neurotypical. Here’s an example: Some autistic people benefit from stimming. They make repetitive movements or sounds in order to regulate their emotions or calm themselves. But even if stimming makes them feel more comfortable, if they are masking, they may not stim in front of other people.
Some autistic children have challenges with social skills. But if these challenges improve over time, or the child learns to mask them, their communication may eventually appear more neurotypical. As a result, an autism diagnosis may not be pursued. Another reason for adult diagnosis of autism is the growing accessibility of information on the topic. Today, it’s easier to find research, information, and personal stories about neurodivergence and autism online. Autism is also discussed more often in society. With exposure to this information, some adults begin to reflect on their childhood and their differences. They may decide to be evaluated for autism.
Benefits of speech therapy for autistic adults
There are so many ways speech therapy can support adults with autism. Autistic adults in speech therapy may choose to focus on:
Social skills
Social skills might include maintaining a two-way conversation, staying on topic, knowing how and when to switch topics, and understanding other people’s viewpoints. These skills are often worked on in mock conversations between the client and speech therapist. Or, the client might review videos or picture prompts and talk about ways to navigate the situations depicted.
Understanding social cues
Some autistic people have difficulty identifying a person’s meaning based on their tone of voice. For example, they may find it hard to pick up on sarcasm. Or if a friend is having a hard day and says “I’m fine,” in a short, unenthusiastic tone, the autistic person may not realize that their friend actually isn't doing well. These challenges can cause problems in relationships, which makes social cues an impactful goal to work on in speech therapy.
Making friends
Meeting new people and forming friendships can also be targeted in speech therapy. When conversations are challenging, making friends can naturally be difficult. Speech therapy can help autistic adults learn to build on their strengths and natural conversation style to help them better communicate in person, and even over text or email.
Communicating via technology
This is a whole other realm of conversational skills to navigate. Speech therapy can help people develop skills in texting, social media chatting, and direct messaging. Or the focus might be on communication at work, such as participating in video meetings or instant messaging with coworkers.
Speech therapy can help autistic people understand their strengths, advocate for themselves, and reach new communication goals.
Time management
Another professional skill that may be targeted in speech therapy for autistic adults is time management. Time management is critical for on-the-job success. A speech therapist can teach strategies to help a person manage their time, so they’re better prepared to handle their job responsibilities and other real-life situations.
Problem solving
Speech therapy can also focus on problem-solving skills, whether related to the person’s job or their everyday routines. Learning to adapt to challenging situations and think through the steps for solving a problem can be hugely helpful for autistic adults.
Finding a speech therapist who helps adults with autism
Expressable offers neurodiversity-affirming care to autistic people of all ages. If you or a loved one would like to learn more about speech therapy, schedule a free consultation call with one of our specialists. We’d be happy to answer your questions and talk about next steps. A neurodiversity-affirming speech therapist can help autistic people understand their strengths, advocate for themselves, and reach new communication goals. Speech therapy shouldn’t aim to change who a person is. Instead, we strive to support people with the tools they need to communicate as authentically and clearly as possible, in all aspects of life. An important note: We believe that when speaking about any community as a whole, the best approach is to prioritize that community’s voices, needs, and preferences. Within the larger autism community, the current language preference is identity-first (e.g., "autistic adults"), which is why we use that language in our content. Expressable is committed to listening to and learning from the populations we serve. If and when their preferences change, we’ll adjust our approach accordingly.
