BAP-Pragmatic language

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How would I, or anyone, know if they're on the BAP?

How do you define and assess pragmatic language?

Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SCD)
How is SCD diagnosed?

SCD is diagnosed based on difficulties with both verbal and non-verbal social communication skills. These skills include:

* responding to others

* using gestures (like waving or pointing)

* taking turns when talking or playing

* talking about emotions and feelings

* staying on topic

* adjusting speech to fit different people or situations – for instance, talking differently to a young child versus an adult or lowering one’s voice in a library.

* asking relevant questions or responding with related ideas during conversation

* using words for a variety of purposes such as greeting people, making comments, asking questions, making promises, etc.

* making and keeping friends

Like SCD, autism involves difficulty with social communication skills. But autism has the additional defining characteristic of restricted and/or repetitive behaviors. So an evaluation must rule out autism before reaching a diagnosis of SCD.

This differential diagnosis can be difficult because many symptoms and behaviors overlap between ASD and SCD. In addition, SCD can occur alongside other developmental issues such as language impairment, learning disabilities, speech sound disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The good news is that most medical centers have speech-language pathologists – professionals trained to assess and provide treatment for social-communication problems. Speech-language pathologists collaborate with teachers and parents to help develop children’s social communication skills in the classroom and at home.

We recommend that you work with your son’s doctor or school to find a speech-language pathologist with experience in assessing and treating SCD.

Speech-language pathologists also work with individuals who have problems with the non-verbal aspects of communication and social interaction. For example, some children don’t use gestures like waving to say “goodbye” or extending arms to be picked up. Or, they may shake their head “no” when they mean “yes.”

Additionally we can develop visual supports and other forms of augmentative and alternative communication for individuals who are non-verbal or minimally verbal. This can be as simple as pointing to pictures on a picture board or as high-tech as a speech-generating computer or electronic tablet.

Your son can receive therapy for SCD in a variety of settings. Schools and school districts employ speech-language pathologists to provide such services as part of early intervention and special education programs. Many clinics and children’s hospitals likewise offer social communication services. These include all the centers in the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network.