AIBU to ask if your autistic child regressed with speech, did they learn to speak again?

[HariboFrenzy]

Just that really. I've been trying to research how many children who regress in Speech eventually go on to speak but I can't find anything. I know regression is common in asd but what happens afterwards?

Hopeful bump

Bumping for you; but unsure of answer sorry

Anyone?

I think it's unlikely op sorry ,
My ds is 16 and still no speech is it your dc ?
My son did babble but then regressed , I always believed he'd speak one day but now I know he won't .

My husband cousin is over 20 years old and was diagnosed low functioning autism (his mom had to make sure he stay dependent on her because he can not live on his own) since he was 2 years old. They can and do communication.

And some will use sign language too

My son could say a few months but began to regress around 14 months. He’s almost 6 and doesn’t say any words. He makes different vocal noises, but nothing that sounds like words, more like how a baby would babble.
He understands a lot of speech though.

*A few words, sorry, not months.

Mine regressed and was mute for such a long time he just nodded and shook his head to communicate. Started babbling again then lots of speech therapy. I think he first said mummy when he was about 6. He couldnt be understood by others until atleast 9. Hes a teen now and omg he speaks beautifully. I cried so many nights thinking he would never speak. Thought he would be at a special school but he's not. I would never in million years have thought he would have progressed as he has. The speech therapist said he has Apraxia.

DS said a few words, clapped and waved - then lost it all. Gradually started speaking when SALT introduced PECS, when he started school he had very few words, but started talking more and more. He’s just started high school now and doesn’t shut up!

He got told of for talking in class and being tio chatty I almost burst with pride

Thank you for your replies. My child had about 20 words at 18 months and lost them all. At almost 3 there are no words now, and no attempt to speak either, other than occasional babble. If you ask where something is, they look at it but make no sound. I'm finding it hard to be optimistic vs realistic

Mine was like that OP. I remember asking my sons speech therapist if he would ever speak and she couldn't answer. They are all so different but if mine can do it, yours can. They are still only 2 remember, they will get there. Hoping for the best for you X

Bumping for you OP. My DS is autistic but he never regressed (he was just delayed). It must be devastating to see them lose their words. I hope some more people will be along with some positive stories.

A whole childhood of speech therapy means mine pronounces his words really well so gets told he sounds posh (love it!). His speech sounds still go abit when hes tired though. Its utter shit isnt it. Mine was the 8 year old at speech class with 2 year olds practising the same sounds it was shit. Have hope though. Your child may just surprise you x

I am not quite sure my son's experience was the same as the experience with your child, but I'll share anyway.

My child was ahead of all his milestones, way ahead and his speech was great, but then one day it's just disappeared, he was pointing at things and using very limited one word sentences, it took a long time but his speech is fine now. He has ASC but this regression also coordinated with the birth of his twin siblings which was possibly a trigger.

When I say his speech is fine now, he has a great grasp of words and their meanings, he was assessed a few years ago when he was 8 at his word comprehension and we expected it to be low (he couldn't read back then) but he ended up scoring within the 18-15 year old bracket. Saying that, he still struggles with the concert of time, he doesn't know when his birthday is, he still uses "next week" to describe times past and present.

DS1 had about 15 words at 18 months.. would wave, copy etc.. then regressed losing those words and actions by 2 years old.

At 3 years old I realised his babbling was actually words without the consonants.. He could only make the vowel sounds.. "uh-ee" was 'mummy'. "Ay-ee" was 'baby' when he was referencing his baby brother.

He said 'mummy' for the first time 1 week before his 4th birthday, and was using full sentences by 6 years old.

He's 9 now and has just mastered all his speech sounds (he found sounds such as 'ch', 'sh', 'r' hard, and also had a lisp) so some words had been unclear to those who didn't know him.

He still has language therapy as he still gets sentences/tenses muddled but he is so far from where we thought he might be at this point.

Every child is different though. We just need to support them to communicate any way they can

To add to my earlier post OP, don’t despair. When my almost 6 year old was 3 he barely made eye contact, never responded to his name and seemed vacant most of the time. Now he has no problem with eye contact, he always turns his head when his name is called, he’s very engaging.
His Paediatrician told me at our last visit he’s seen speech come in at age 6 and if he understands language it’s a good sign for if he will speak. He communicates now by taking us to what he wants or bringing it to us. He’s also recently started to look at something when we say “look” and look at where we’re pointing.

I was told that my older brother (by 18 months) babbled and spoke 2 or 3 words, then regressed and didn't speak until he was 5. I remember him having speech therapy but don't remember him not speaking. He doesn't chat socially, but there's nothing wrong with his ability to speak. He went to a mainstream school with a 1 to 1 for a bit - I don't remember the 1 to 1 being there by the time I was at school. He works part-time and can live independently.

LoseLooseLucy your little one sounds very similar to mine. Alertness has definitely improved in recent weeks so I'm cautiously optimistic. Just wish I had a crystal ball...

My son was saying small sentences at 12 months and then stopped speaking completely at 18 months. At 2.5 he was babbling and lotsof echolalia. Years of speech therapy later his speech is pretty much normal for his age (14) although he does still struggle with written English in complex subjects.

The study described in this article gives a quite encouraging outlook about non verbal children with autism www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.spectrumnews.org/news/study-of-nonverbal-autism-must-go-beyond-words-experts-say/amp
“ Scientists at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, in Baltimore, looked at information on 535 children, ages 8 to 17, diagnosed with autism and with severe language delays at age 4. At age 4, their language delays ranged from not speaking at all to using single words or phrases without verbs.

The researchers found that, in fact, most of these children did go on to acquire language skills. Nearly half (47 percent) became fluent speakers. Over two-thirds (70 percent) could speak in simple phrases.”

Have you looked at the Nemechek protocol for asd? It may be nonsense, but for the sake of some high quality omega 3 oil (I buy in bulk from Bare Biology) and inulin each day, I'm trying it with our dc. Our problems aren't (currently) speech related, but I have seen improvements in other areas and the book (which is repetitive and doesn't add much to what you can Google for free) describes huge improvements for non-verbal or barely-verbal asd children.

Thank you for sharing, so good to hear some positive stories.

user1471520545 that's really interesting, thank you. I'm not sure if children that regress in speech have different outcomes to those that are delayed 🤔