Autism myth busting

Here are some common myths about how children or young people with autism communicate which have been busted.

Using Makaton or PECS will make your child too lazy to learn to talk properly

Makaton will not stop your child or young person from talking – provided speech is always used when signing. Research shows that using Makaton has a positive impact on speech development. It can stimulate the production of speech sounds and words, and it can help people with communication difficulties make themselves understood after they have developed some spoken language. It’s advisable to continue to use signs after speech begins. Read more about Makaton online.

Introducing a picture system like Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) can support children to communicate what they want and need, and therefore reduce frustration and possibly behaviour associated with frustration. Research shows that using augmentative communication systems like PECS does not inhibit speech development; it makes it more likely that children will go on to develop speech or improve their speech. Using picture systems gives a child a way of communicating and interacting with other people and making themselves understood, it’s not giving up on working towards talking.

Bilingual children learn to talk late, so there’s no need to refer them to speech and language therapy

It’s correct that, on average, bilingual children start talking a little bit later than children who are brought up with just one language. However, they should still start talking within the normal range. Children should be referred to speech and language if there is a worry or concern about their speech development, regardless of the number of languages spoken in their household.

A child can’t be autistic if they have good eye contact

Every autistic child or young person is a unique individual, so it is wrong to say they won’t have good eye contact.

Some autistic children are able to make appropriate eye contact. Autism should not be excluded purely on the basis of whether a child or young person makes eye contact.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance CG128 – 1.2.7 states: “Do not rule out autism because of: good eye contact, smiling and showing affection to family members.”

A child can’t be autistic if they have good social skills

Every autistic child or young person is a unique individual, so it’s wrong to say that can't have good social skills.

In order for a child to get a diagnosis of autism, they need to have difficulties in the areas of social skills, social communication, and social interaction, with evidence of impairment in their ability to have two-way social interactions.

These difficulties will present in completely different ways for each child. Some autistic children will have very limited social skills, may communicate in very limited ways, and show no interest at all in interacting with other people. Other autistic children may appear to have some really nice social skills. They may be very talkative, be keen to have friends and show empathy for others. However, on closer assessment these skills may have been learnt rather than come intuitively, or they may not be at an age-expected level.

Autism should be considered even if children appear to have good social skills, as there may be subtle social communication difficulties.