Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), particularly those on the higher-functioning end, often repeat themselves or fixate on certain topics. This type of speech can make learning, socializing, and communicating more challenging. A study by Kuntz et al. (2020) suggests that this repetitive speech stems from specific underlying reasons. By identifying these reasons, we can better tackle the issues that arise from this behavior.
What Is Perseverative Speech?
Perseverative speech occurs when a child continues to repeat a topic or phrase beyond its relevance to the conversation or setting. For instance, a child might continuously talk about dinosaurs, even when the topic is unrelated to the current activity or conversation. Although the child may find comfort or joy in the repetition, it can disrupt their focus and make social interactions challenging.
Why Does It Happen?
Kuntz et al. (2020) identified that perseverative speech often serves a function for the child. It could be a way to:
- Gain attention: The child may use repetitive speech to engage others.
- Self-soothe or cope with anxiety: Familiar topics or phrases might provide a sense of security.
- Avoid tasks: Repetitive speech may serve as a way to delay or avoid less preferred activities.
By identifying the function of the perseverative speech, parents can better understand the “why” behind the behavior and apply effective strategies to address it.
Strategies for Managing Perseverative Speech
- Functional Communication Training (FCT)
- What it is: FCT teaches the child alternative ways to express their needs without relying on repetitive speech. For example, if a child uses perseverative speech to gain attention, they can be taught to use phrases like “Can I talk to you?” or “I have something important to share.”
- Example: If your child often talks about trains to gain attention, prompt them to say, “Can we talk about something new now?” and reinforce this alternative behavior with positive attention.
- Limit and Redirect the Topic
- What it is: Acknowledge the child’s interest in the topic but set limits on how long it can be discussed. Afterward, gently redirect the conversation.
- Example: If your child is talking endlessly about video games, you can say, “We can talk about video games for 5 minutes, then we’ll talk about school.” This helps them shift focus while still validating their interest.
- Teach Flexibility in Conversations
- What it is: Help your child practice shifting between different topics in a conversation. This can be done through role-playing and reinforcing appropriate conversation changes.
- Example: Play a game where each person in the family gets to introduce a new topic every few minutes, and everyone must respond before moving on.
- Provide Visual Supports
- What it is: Visual schedules or reminders can help your child understand when it’s appropriate to talk about their preferred topic.
- Example: Create a visual schedule where specific times are dedicated to discussing their favorite subject. Outside those times, they can be reminded to stay on task with visual cues.
- Reward Desired Behaviors
- What it is: Reinforce your child when they successfully engage in varied conversation or reduce the frequency of perseverative speech.
- Example: Praise your child or offer a small reward when they follow conversation shifts or stop repetitive speech on their own.
By understanding the function of your child’s perseverative speech and applying strategies like Functional Communication Training, setting limits, and using visual supports, you can help your child develop more flexible communication skills. With patience and consistent application of these strategies, perseverative speech can be managed in a way that allows for greater social engagement and learning opportunities.
For more information and personalized strategies, feel free to contact Alon Behavior Consulting for support.
