Communication and connecting
Speech differences
Spoken language develops differently in some children. Some children use very little speech, or none at all.
Communication and connecting
Spoken language develops differently in some children. Some children use very little speech, or none at all.
What do we mean by speech?
Speech is the spoken sounds and words a child uses. It is one part of communication, but not the only one. Many children who find speech hard communicate well in other ways.
This page is about differences in speech itself. It includes the range of non-speaking to speaking differently – such as echolalia.
For the wider picture of how children connect, read our connecting page.
Every child communicates, but not everyone does this through speech. Some children:
Some children connect in ways that are different from what is typically expected, not because they cannot connect, but because they connect differently.
Speech is one way of connecting. It is not the only one.
A child who doesn’t speak, or speaks very little, may understand a great deal.
How much speech a child has is not a measure of how clever they are or how much they take in.
Alternatively, a child may find it hard to understand language. They may talk, or not talk, and also have difficulty understanding.
We cannot assume that speech or lack of speech means they can understand others.
It all comes back to a better understanding of the unique child.
Some children start to speak later than is typical for their age. They may develop speech more slowly.
This can happen on its own or alongside other neurodevelopmental differences. If you’re concerned about your child’s speech, see your GP or health visitor.
Echolalia is when a child repeats words or phrases they have heard. This may happen immediately or after a delay. For some children, it can be their way of communicating. For others it is a step on the way that they develop their speech. For example a child can repeat phrases from the TV. You can read our Easy Read on Echolalia here.
It can occur in autistic children. It can also have a purpose even if this isn’t obvious to others:
Some children speak the same sound, word or phrase over and over again. This can serve a purpose for the child, and may be enjoyable and regulating.
Repetitive speech can also be a way of stimming.
Stimming is short for ‘self-stimulating behaviour’. Stimming or ‘stims’ are movements or speech that the child likes to do.
One of the most common is hand flapping. We don’t know why some people stim more than others. However people who stim say that this can be comforting and regulating for them. It can help with sensory input, staying calm and expressing joy.
Sometimes stimming can be a sign of distress, or can lead to self-injury. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference with enjoyable stimming or a compulsion. The links below go into more detail about stimming.
It can be uncomfortable and frustrating for a child to have to stop stimming.
National Autistic Society page on stimming and repeated movements
Ambitious About Autism website page on repetitive behaviour and stimming
Our connecting page has information and links on communication other than speech:
AAC covers ways of communicating beyond or instead of speech. This includes picture boards, symbol systems and speech-generating devices. AAC does not replace speech — for many children it supports it.
Some children’s communication develops at a different pace. These can be significant communication before speech has developed. Recognising these signals can help to understand your child.
Early behaviours include:
Apraxia of speech is a difficulty with the movements needed to speak. The child knows what they want to say, but the brain finds it hard to plan and coordinate the muscle movements to say it. It isn’t because the muscles are weak.
It can make speech hard to understand. Some children find it too difficult to speak or to make a range of sounds. A speech and language therapist can help.
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust website page on childhood apraxia
Speech and Language UK page on childhood apraxia
Stammering affects the flow of speech. A child might repeat sounds or words. They may get stuck and unable to get a word out. It can be more common in childhood and varies a lot from one child to another.
STAMMA organisation for people who stammer in the UK
Speech and Language UK page on stammering
NHS website page on stammering
DLD is a significant difficulty with language. A child with DLD may:
Selective mutism is when a child can speak in some situations but not in others. Sometimes it can be linked to anxiety. A child with selective mutism may:
NHS website page on selective mutism
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists page on selective mutism
This is when the brain has difficulty processing sounds, particularly speech. A child with APD may have normal hearing test results but still find it hard to understand speech in noisy places or follow spoken instructions. APD can be missed because hearing tests are passed.
Example — Amir:
Amir talks a lot in echolalia. That means he repeats words and phrases, mostly from his favourite TV channel. Sometimes he says a phrase over and over just because it sounds nice. Other times he is asking for something. He also signs, and his family have learnt Makaton. He understands a lot, but he needs time to process what he hears.
He avoids food or activities that he doesn’t like. Amir seeks out the trampoline and likes to chew things. He loves music and plays drums and some keyboard, which he shares with friends at school and family at home.
Note: Our examples are made up to show common experiences and are not real children.
A link is not an endorsement. We are not responsible for the content of external links.
Some children have significant differences in how they experience the world, such as noise, pain, or interoception.
Connecting I Coping I Daily living I Diagnosis I Environment I Health I Learning I Senses I Speech I Strengths
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Information created: June 2026 I Next review: June 2029
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