Speech-Language Pathology Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Our pediatric speech-language pathologists evaluate and treat children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders from birth to age 21. Children with autism spectrum disorders may have the following communication difficulties:

• No speech, or very limited speech
• Difficulty expressing basic wants and needs
• Problems following directions or understanding words
• Problems answering questions
• Poor play skills
• Problems making friends
• Problems dealing with changes in routines

Early intervention and using a team approach are important in the evaluation and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Evaluation

Our team provides comprehensive speech and language evaluations for children, which includes:

• An assessment of your child’s social-communication skills, as part of an overall evaluation of speech and language skills
• Recommendations to improve these skills, including frequency and duration of services; goals, strategies, and techniques; and parent/caregiver participation and training

It is also important to have your child's hearing evaluated to rule out hearing loss. To schedule a hearing evaluation, please contact our Pediatric Audiology team.

Treatment

One of our speech-language pathologists may recommend treatment for your child. The speech pathologist will work very closely with other members of your child’s care team and your family to provide services, which may include parent/caregiver participation and training. Each session is 30 or 60 minutes and may occur one to three times per week. Treatment lasts between one and six months.

The goal of speech therapy is to improve your child’s social-communication skills through one or more of the following:

• Joint attention training: Helping your child to coordinate attention between an object and a person in a social context.
• Modeling: Using live or video modeling to teach new skills.
• Naturalistic teaching: Creating and using opportunities to improve communication skills during the daily routine.
• Peer training: Teaching a sibling or other child in the family to use supportive strategies when playing and interacting with the child with autism.

New Outpatient Appointments

Before your child's first appointment, please:

1. Complete a case history form (Case History Form in English / Case History Form in Spanish)
2. Return the completed form to our department by either fax or mail:
   
   Fax
   (650) 736-3406
   Mail
   Rehabilitation Services Department
   Speech-Language Pathology Services
   321 Middlefield Road, Suite 130
   Menlo Park, CA 94025

For more information about our autism services, visit the Autism Center page.