Communicating with people with speech difficulties

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I recently met a guy, who i am hoping to form a friendship.

I'm autistic and have auditory processing difficulties and he has speech which is a bit slurred.


This can make it difficult to hear and understand what he is saying.


I am wondering what your tips would be?


I am considering bringing my iPad, so in case i don't understand he can type instead (we did this last time we met, but he typed on his phone).

I think typing/texting is a great idea. I once met a deaf guy who typed everything on his phone, and all his hearing friends were good with it. If either of you know ASL, or if the friendship becomes long-term enough to warrant learning it, some signing along with speech could also be an option. But typing is probably the easiest thing.

You'll probably find that as you get to know him more, you'll get more used to his way of talking. I work with deaf people and often when I first meet them, it is difficult to understand the way they talk, but you kind of learn their accent, the sounds that are different. There is usually a pattern to it, like they say d instead of s and things like that.

Taking an ipad is a good idea, it shows that you are interested in what he says and willing to make the effort. Another tip is don't give up! It can be very frustrating when you want to say something but people don't understand and then say, "oh, it doesn't matter." And the same is true when you are trying to hear something and the person speaking gives up trying to explain. Sometimes having someone who just puts in the extra work to overcome the communication difficulties is valuable and that can be a good start to form your friendship.

I hope it goes well for you.

As someone with a speech disorder, other people get to this point with me. They anticipate that I speak strangely and very softly. Once you get used to the way I talk it's easier to understand what I'm saying. I notice this most when I meet new people. They ask me to repeat 80% of what I say, whereas people who have known me a while only about 40%. New people seem to regard me with an expression like they think I'm weird because of the way I talk, whereas people I have known a while just go with it.

I'm finding this, too. People who actually want to communicate with me seem to be willing to take up the signs I show them, and take an interest in sign language so they can understand and we can fill in the gaps if I sign something they can't understand me saying.
Many deaf people have a "talking book" to communicate with hearing people, and you can write back and forth. Doing this through text on your respective phones would work also.
Maybe this guy could use a talking app to fill in gaps if you can't process what he is saying?