Anyone actually understand nonverbals?

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What I mean is why they are not able to speak. I mean, I'm sure that physically their vocal cords have no problem producing sound and their tongue and teeth probably are able to pronounce words. I find it a mystery because some of them are able to express themselves through typing on the computer or by using sign language. So its not really social anxiety/shyness is it? If they were shy they would not be able to use sign language to express themselves in front of other people's face.

So how does it all happen?

I understand nods and head shaking.

I saw the subject heading and thought you meant body language / nonverbal communication.

I sort of understand the non speaking thing of some autistics. (Oh, and non-verbal isn't technically correct for those who can write but don't speak -- verbal refers to the use of words, not to the use of speech.) I used to just totally not be able to share personal stuff, emotional stuff, out loud. Looking back, I think there was some fear of rejection, as well as, not knowing how to do it right. Like, not willing to face the consequences of doing it wrong. A lack of trust.

It's to do with how their brain is wired.

Have you ever been completely overloaded, or in the middle of a meltdown, and then went mute? That's the closest that I can identify with someone who is nonverbal. I can't find my words in that sort of situation. It's as if there's this huge disconnect between my mouth and brain that will not allow the images in my brain to turn into words that I can get coherently out of my mouth at the right time. Sometimes, I have a hard time using speech if I'm doing something where I'm engrossed in the detail, and someone talks to me suddenly, too.

I can understand them, by watching their eyes, and their nods, and looking at their body language.

[quote="serenity"]It's to do with how their brain is wired.
[quote]
This is it exactly. My HSGF was basically mute from her CP (she could make some grunting-type sounds), basically in her, that part of the brain was non-functional. Really, there are 3 common causes of someone being non-verbal, because there are so many ways for sounds to be produced that for someone to be completely non-verbal, it must be neurological. Either the relevant brain tissue died for some reason (either CP if early/external cause, or stroke - generally later, and caused by something within the body), or it didn't develop in the critical time in infancy (Autism related is most common in this category, though other developmental disabilities are possible)

I'm pretty sure it has to do with language developmental problems. But eventually, if you've never spoken in 10 years, I'd think learning to speak would be painful (stiff throat, etc.).

The sound of speech may seem like gibberish to them, or they might understand speech but not be able to convert the ideas in their own head into the sounds of words. After we learn language we tend to have an inner dialog going on inside our heads as we think. This might never happen for the non-verbal autistic person. This doesn't mean they aren't thinking, they're just thinking in a way that's hard for someone with language to imagine. It's hard to imagine because most of us can't remember how we thought as infants before we learned to speak.

They used to say that if a nonverbal ASD child didn't speak by the time they were a certain age (4 I think it was) that they will most likely never speak, because the neural pathways never made the proper connections, and were permanently pruned off in the brain. They have now taken that back, and it's proven to be untrue, much like that mirror neuron theory is now for lack of empathy. Speech is a very complex thing. It involves many different areas of the brain to work smoothly together. For instance, some nonverbal autistics can sing, but not talk, because singing uses a different part of the brain, than talking.

My 6 yo son is nonverbal, but his vocal chords are fine. He makes noises ALL day long. So, his throat isn't stiff. He just doesn't talk, but we're working on SOME form of communication.

I Actualy stopped talking for two years after the age of 10 and had to go to a therapist before I had the confidence to speak again. I Stopped speaking due to the stress of things happening both at school and at home and decided just not to bother explaining myself to people anymore.

I Did end up learning a certain degree of sign language however, in-fact by the end the only reason I was not talking was to prove I dident have to (Basically I was a very stubborn 12 year old).

Yep. Speech is very complex; and four isn't any sort of hard-and-fast limit. There are also alternative communication methods that can be implemented after four; and in some cases they provide enough help that speech becomes accessible eventually.

I don't know what it is like to always be non-verbal, because I am almost never unable to form words. However, when I am, it seems more like I can't initiate the desire or the actions involved in speaking; like I can't remember that there are words for what I'm feeling. It usually happens when I'm very upset and for no more than a few minutes. I don't know if that is like what non-verbal autistics feel, and anyway, I think it must be different from person to person because that's just the way autism is--everybody is different.

BTW, written language doesn't disappear like speech does--on occasion I've been able to type while very upset. I actually the first part of one blog post while able to type but not speak, after having returned from an extremely overwhelming shift at work. I've learned that one way to get past a speech block is to write out the sentences mentally and then read them off. That works when I can't initiate speech--usually mid-shutdown, once again. So I know from personal experience that alternative communication helps initiate speech... I have a Deaf friend who is also autistic, and who loses speech when very upset, but not sign language... I think there are often ways to get around it when it is difficult to speak. Once we know more, I am sure we will be able to teach most (as in, at least 99 of 100) autistic people to use some kind of abstract communication, though it may be as simple as PECS or simplified sign. There are so many ways of thinking; and speech uses only a few. People who are horrible at using speech could learn to use some other way of communication, that uses skills they are better at. We just need to learn more about how people think--people in general, autistic people specifically.