Language development is amazing! Research indicates that even before they are born, babies tune in to their mother’s voice and the sounds of the language, or languages, their mother speaks. After they are born, newborns can tell the difference between the language(s) their mother uses and other languages because they notice differences in tones and inflections. This helps them learn the sounds and words of the language(s) they hear. They are learning when others talk to or around them, coo or play with them (peek-a-boo).

Research indicates that autistic children need more help to learn to communicate, largely because of genetic factors. Some autistic children need extra help to learn to speak. Some autistic children learn to speak easily and have a strong vocabulary, but they need extra help using their words to engage with others.

We hope to support caregiver efforts by sharing research-based tips to support communication development. As a caregiver, you may find that you are already doing many, or even all, of these things — in which case, this CHAT verifies your efforts!

1. Talk to and with your child — a lot!
   Caregivers of infants talk to their babies and sometimes just make noises with them — both help. Gradually, the child starts to make noises in response. Babies 0–6 months old respond more to slower speech, including elongating or slowing down vowels and using a wide range of pitch.
2. Use turn-taking play
   Kids learn more new words during turn-taking play. Babies 6–18 months old start to imitate speech sounds and eventually single words. They learn more new words during turn-taking play, like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake, than when a parent just talks to a child without play. Labeling “Mommy’s turn, Amy’s turn” engages the child’s attention and helps teach both new words and turn-taking, which is important for social engagement.
3. Combine gestures with words
   Point out and name things with your child and name what they point to help develop their language skills. Caregivers tend to use shorter sentences with toddlers, which helps them respond and increases “conversational turn counts.” However, 3-year-olds learn to tune in to and benefit from longer sentences, including caregivers using more complex language to refer to current and past events.
4. Use varied language and questions
   During the toddler years, using a variety of words and asking “wh-questions” (what, who, where) helps children learn new words faster. Reading books that interest your child also supports vocabulary development. Caregivers can point to pictures and ask who, what, when and where questions.
5. Follow your child’s focus of attention
   Respond to what your child is looking at by labeling or commenting on it and making a positive statement. This is especially helpful for autistic children who may have weaker joint attention. Children are more likely to learn new words related to what interests them. By joining their activity, you are more likely to engage them in turn-taking, which helps develop vocabulary and social interaction skills.
6. Respond and model
   Responding to your child’s communication attempts, including imitating them and modeling responses, helps develop social attention. Imitating your child is another way of joining their activity and encouraging turn-taking.

Create routines
Establishing routines, including play routines, helps children know what to expect, which supports engagement and learning. Caregivers can pause and wait during routines, giving the child time to respond. Over time, the child may begin to initiate activities they enjoy with the caregiver. Each step helps build communication skills.