SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Resumo

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and significant variability in language development. Given that communication impairments constitute a core diagnostic feature of ASD, speech-language intervention plays a fundamental role in promoting functional communication and social participation. This study aimed to analyze the contribution of speech-language pathology to language development in children with ASD, emphasizing evidence-based intervention strategies and structured communicative practices within therapeutic contexts. A narrative literature review was conducted based on scientific articles indexed in PubMed and related peer-reviewed sources. The review addressed neurobiological foundations of communication in ASD, linguistic characteristics of children on the spectrum, and empirically supported therapeutic approaches. The findings indicate that children with ASD frequently present receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language vulnerabilities, as well as difficulties in inferential and nonliteral language processing. Evidence supports the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication systems, naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions, social communication training, and early intervention programs. Structured and explicit communicative input within therapy may further enhance comprehension by reducing cognitive load. Speech-language pathology is therefore essential in fostering communicative competence, autonomy, and social inclusion in children with ASD.