How do people with autism often communicate?

People with autism often communicate using echolalia, which is the repetition of phrases or sentences they have heard before. This can be immediate, where the individual repeats something right after hearing it, or delayed, where they recall it from memory after some time. This behavior serves various functions, such as expressing a thought or feeling, engaging in social interaction, or processing their environment.

While some individuals with autism may be capable of complex language or minimal verbal interaction, these forms of communication are not as universally characteristic of autism as echolalia. The use of selective phrases typically reflects their unique ways of understanding and interacting with the world around them, making it a prominent aspect of their communication style.