Autism Language Program

The Autism Language Program (ALP) at Boston Children's Hospital is a program specifically designed to help children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder communicate and learn more effectively. We consider all forms of communication including spoken, written, gestural (sign) and visual (use of graphic symbols).

Children who visit this program are evaluated and ultimately, their families are given a communication plan with recommendations that are tailored to the child's interests and needs, and usually include suggestions for both school and home.

Dr. Howard C. Shane, Director of the Center for Communication Disorders, and an authority on communication problems associated with autism, states, "While every child who visits our program comes with a variety of strengths and weaknesses, we see it as our job to identify these strengths to improve their communication and learning."

Shane recognizes that communication problems, unusual behavior and social related problems are three hallmarks of autism, but believes the communication difficulty to be the most salient.

The philosophy of the ALP is complimentary to the current leading approaches to the treatment of autism. As such, we have examined these philosophies and have implemented strategies that enhance these outcomes and produce better results.

We believe that every family that visits the ALP leaves knowing more about their child's communication and learning styles. Families leave with a plan for improving their child's communication, and with recommendations on how to help their child understand spoken language and how to speak more effectively, which in turn can have a positive effect on their learning.