Speech therapist or speech-language pathologists are trained personnel who work with children having speech-related disorders. They also provide screening, consultation, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management and counseling services for children with special needs. Speech therapy plays an important role towards the holistic development in a child with autism spectrum disorder. It improves overall communication, enhances social skills, enables to cope up better with the society and function in day-to-day life. It should be started as early as diagnosis is made. Role of speech therapist Speech therapist does much more than simply teaching a child to correctly pronounce words. In fact, a speech therapist working with an autistic child may work on a wide range of skills including: Speech articulation: by oromotor exercises of lip and facial muscles, the way a child moves mouth while saying certain words and sounds. Communication: This includes teaching gestural communication, or training with PECS (picture exchange cards), electronic talking devices, and other non-verbal communication tools. Comprehension: The speech therapist engages the child in a functional language activities that involve cognition and social interaction. Speech pragmatics: Use of speech to build social relationships. Conversation skills: Self Talk, parallel talk, sentence elongation, situational talk Conceptual skills: Big and small concept, left & right concept, color concept, body parts concepts, yes and no concept Facts about speech therapy Many parents make the mistake of considering speech therapy as a miracle cure, the solution to get their children up to speed in terms of their expressive, linguistic skills. It is not a cure, it is just training them to be better and help them to cope up with the surroundings. Just sending the child to a speech therapist for a few hours is not enough for training. The activities need to be practiced at home. Results are fast and evident within 3-4 sittings. Results need time and patience. Parents need to replicate the plan explained by the therapist at home. Therapy must be a part of routine activity in such a way that the child is not even aware that he or she is undergoing a “therapy session”. Tips for the parents and caregivers Use flashcards and pictures to teach naming. Sing songs to teach the rhythm and flow of sentences. Avoid long sentences and verbal instruction. Use positive reinforcement to reward your child every time he or she successfully asks for something or identifies a object. Build conversational routines to help develop language. Has your child made eye contact with you when you say a word. Read aloud to your child from picture books that feature familiar objects and activities, like animals or going to school. Source: Information Booklet on Autism