Bilingualism and Autism: Benefits, Challenges and Language Development

Almost 40% of India’s population is bilingual.

This number is not surprising considering how diverse India is and how she boasts 22 official languages. In this environment, kids may be exposed to two or more languages as they learn how to converse. If you're the parent of an autistic child, don’t worry; be rest assured that bilingualism can be a positive experience. 

Most parents worry that learning a second language might delay or interfere with their child’s language development, and if you feel the same way, this blog is for you.

Communication and language skills are often areas where autistic individuals may face challenges. Hence, it is common for bilingual families sometimes to forego the use of one home language. Primarily because they fear that it might lead to difficulties in language development in autistic children, it turns out there’s no need for concern. Speaking two languages might actually help create opportunities for autistic kids. 

Current research on neurodivergence suggests that bilingualism does not negatively impact language development in autistic children. At its very best, it might offer several advantages such as adaptive functioning and social communication skills, amongst others.

Bilingualism is also a question of ethical standards for autism, when it comes to basic human rights and opportunities for autistic individuals. If some members of the family speak only one language, it is the basic human right for the autistic child to be able to communicate with them. 

For example, if the family is sitting together at the dining table and speaking in their native language, the autistic child might feel left out. This exclusion could occur simply due to concerns about how bilingualism might affect language development. Why should they miss out on proficiency in the minority language? It could also help preserve cultural identity and familial bonds. Especially, since there is no evidence to show that it is harmful to them. 

Benefits of bilingualism in autistic children

A collaborative study conducted by the University of Geneva in Switzerland, the University of Thessaly in Greece and University of Cambridge in Britain has shown that bilingualism may help autistic children develop skills to manage common challenges. For example, being able to understand the thoughts and emotions of others clearly. Or performing executive functions such as planning and organising.

Another study found that bilingualism has a positive effect on enhancing cognitive flexibility. This is essentially the ability to switch between two concepts or consider multiple ideas simultaneously. A skill that autistic individuals often struggle with.

According to a study conducted by the Journal of Child Neurology, a bilingual environment for an autistic child can help them in:

• Improved perspective-taking, an important skill for social interaction.
• Enhanced use of gestures to communicate their needs.
• Advanced skills in pretend play, which is very important for autistic children since it helps them develop skills crucial for social interaction, communication and language.
• Increased cooing and vocalising in toddlers, an important milestone in language development for both autistic and neurotypical children.

All of these benefits go a long way in creating opportunities for autistic kids in their future lives, as well as enhancing their quality of life when they’re young. 

The challenges of bilingualism in autistic children

For autistic children, early exposure to a second language is linked with higher proficiency. If they are exposed to the languages before three years of age, they have a better chance of achieving fluency in them. 

Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in providing language exposure.

However, this can be a daunting task.

Autism disorder often delays the development of receptive and expressive languages. Receptive language is the ability to understand written language. Expressive language is the ability to communicate verbally or nonverbally. This can be through spoken words or non-verbal signs and gestures.

 Many parents might feel that due to this fact, learning two languages may be too challenging for the child. They fear that the child may not be able to achieve proper fluency in either language

How to achieve bilingualism in autistic children?

Here are a few effective tips for parents and caregivers of autistic children:

• Expose your child to the languages that are considered important to the family and community- If you stop speaking to your child in your native language, they may not be able to communicate with other elderly members of the family.
• Children need maximum exposure to learn a language- A recent study showed that the amount of time a child was exposed to a language had a direct positive effect on their language development. This holds for autistic children as well. If you want your child to learn two languages, ensure they are exposed to both languages consistently.
• Autism speech therapy- Even if your child’s speech therapist does not speak both their languages, they can help you with strategies to use with your child to enhance their communication and interaction skills. At IAC, we have an expert team of speech language pathologists who would be happy to help you encourage a bilingual environment for your autistic child.

Conclusion

It’s time to let go of the myth that bilingualism can be harmful to language development in autistic children. In addition to the ethical benefits, a bilingual environment offers advantages for autistic individuals.

Since neurodevelopmental conditions can impact language acquisition, families may sometimes choose to stop using one language, fearing it could complicate the learning process. On the contrary, it’s now quite clear that bilingualism can be a beneficial approach, helping to support development in several areas impacted by autism.

Do not give up!

If you are facing difficulties, visit IAC, to consult with our team of professionally trained speech therapists, who can guide you in using innovative interventions to help your child develop bilingual proficiency.