Developmental Characteristics of Children with Autism

One of the most remarkable characteristics of children with autism is that although they may have limited abilities in many areas, they can demonstrate exceptional skills in certain fields. Some children with autism may not be able to speak, yet they may sing beautifully or play musical instruments very well. In addition to musical ability, many of these children are known to have strong memory skills. For example, they may remember the exact date of a celebration from the previous year or the timing of a trip. Some children can remember places they visited years ago or specific objects in those places, memorize long poems, or repeat lengthy speeches they heard on television word for word.

Some young children with autism may learn to read on their own at the age of 2–3. However, they may not fully comprehend what they read. This condition is called hyperlexia. Hyperlexia is generally observed in individuals with autism who have high intelligence levels and is more common among boys.

Another remarkable skill observed in some children with autism is related to numbers and numerical relationships. Some learn numbers very quickly and can perform complex calculations mentally. Additionally, certain individuals with autism have stronger visual perception skills compared to other abilities. Some children can accurately copy pictures they see, color beautifully, assemble and disassemble mechanical toys, or complete complex puzzles with ease.

As Çadem Psychology, we emphasize the importance of cognitive development at every opportunity. Every individual is born with a certain intellectual capacity, and environmental stimulation together with conscious family support plays a significant role in maximizing this potential. Based on this understanding, we aim to enrich children’s environments with active, participatory, and stimulating educational opportunities to help them reach their highest potential.

It has been observed that the babbling sounds commonly seen in typically developing babies (such as “ba-ba-ba”) may not occur in babies with autism. In addition, these children may appear unresponsive when others speak to or call them. Some children with autism remain completely silent between the ages of 0–2, while others may learn a few words like their peers.

Two of the primary symptoms of autism are difficulties in speech, language, and communication. Approximately 40% of children with autism may never fully develop speech or may develop it only in limited ways. In nearly 80% of children with autism, functional communication may not develop during the preschool years. In some cases, children lose all or part of the language skills they previously acquired between the ages of 12–24 months. This condition is referred to as autistic regression.

A better prognosis is generally observed in children with an IQ above 70, those who develop speech before the age of five, those without identified organic causes, children who have a strong emotional bond with their mothers, and those receiving special education. Early diagnosis is highly important because it allows educational support to begin sooner. Factors such as an IQ below 50, the absence of verbal communication, additional accompanying conditions (such as epilepsy), and severe clinical symptoms may make the process more challenging.

In some individuals with autism, speech may even begin during adolescence. Therefore, making absolute predictions about autism is not appropriate.

At Çadem Psychology, through our work in early childhood intervention, we have observed that children who acquired speech skills before the age of four were able to use language actively during school years and, in some cases, even more effectively than their peers. Studies are conducted to identify the underlying reasons for delayed speech, absence of speech, or jargon speech and to help children reach the best possible level of communication.

An important characteristic of autistic children is that regardless of how advanced their language development may be, they tend to interpret words literally. Since they visualize words concretely, understanding abstract meanings or secondary meanings can be confusing for them. For this reason, idioms and proverbs are often memorized rather than truly understood, and this usually develops later in life. Expressions such as “crying one’s eyes out,” “swallowing one’s tongue,” or “being heartbroken” may be interpreted literally, so such phrases should be used carefully.

For example, a mother once told her 4-year-old autistic daughter in the car, “Hold your teeth tight, we’re almost there,” after the child said she needed to use the restroom. The girl immediately clenched her teeth because she interpreted the expression literally.

Even autistic adults with strong language skills can occasionally misunderstand figurative language. One adult with autism who traveled independently abroad bought a transportation card that said, “Valid until midnight.” He spent the entire evening riding the subway because he interpreted the phrase as an instruction that he had to continue traveling until midnight.

At Çadem Psychology, we have observed that some individuals with autism can gradually learn daily language, idioms, humor, and cultural jokes and successfully use them in daily life.

Echolalia refers to the repetition of words or sentences heard from others, either immediately or after some time. Typically developing children begin speaking by imitating words they hear, but this imitation phase usually ends around the age of 2.5. Some children with autism learn their first words by repeating them like a parrot without understanding their meaning. They may repeat words or entire sentences exactly as they heard them, including the speaker’s accent and intonation.

Based on our experience at Çadem Psychology, echolalia can often be seen as a transitional stage before independent speech develops. Properly supporting this stage can help children eventually express their needs, interests, and feelings independently.

Grammatical errors are common among children with autism who are able to speak. Omitting verb endings is particularly frequent. For example, they may say “school go” instead of “let’s go to school,” or “candy, eat food” instead of “give me candy after dinner.” As language skills improve with age and targeted intervention, grammatical difficulties often decrease significantly.

One of the most distinctive language characteristics is the reversal of pronouns. Instead of using the first-person pronoun “I,” children may refer to themselves as “you” or “he/she.” The use of “I” is particularly limited.

At Çadem Psychology, we have observed that communication and language intervention programs can greatly reduce or even eliminate these language difficulties.

Social and Emotional Development Characteristics

For professionals, social communication skills are among the key indicators in diagnosing autism. Both simple and complex social communication skills in children with autism generally develop more slowly than in their peers. Typically developing children learn many social skills by observing and imitating others. In contrast, children with autism often struggle to learn social skills in this way.

Through long-term intervention studies at Çadem Psychology, we have observed that some children with autism can make significant progress in socialization, imaginative play, and group games. Some children eventually begin to enjoy these activities and develop preferences for games and friendships.

Kanner noted that children with autism generally show normal motor development. Although they may appear physically typical, differences in motor skill development compared to peers are often observed. While many skills seem likely to develop on time, some may emerge later than expected. In general, motor skill development in children with autism is close to their chronological age. However, difficulties may arise when movements need to follow instructions or be performed in sequence. Fine motor tasks such as cutting paper or placing blocks into a box may be challenging.

Children with autism may perform tasks they enjoy quickly and skillfully, yet show clumsiness or slowness when asked to do activities that do not interest them.

Due to difficulties coordinating chewing and swallowing muscles, some children may struggle to chew textured foods and may need pureed foods for a longer period than usual. The development of fundamental motor skills is important because it forms the basis for learning more complex behaviors. These skills support the development of overall body coordination and more advanced movement patterns.

For this reason, directing children with autism toward sports activities—especially swimming—from preschool years onward, as well as implementing motor skill programs used in special education, can positively contribute to their development.