The deficit varies from mild to severe. A child with a mild receptive impairment may have difficulty understanding open-ended questions or jokes. A child with a severe receptive language impairment may be unable to understand language at all. Non-verbal communication is also abnormal in children with autism. This includes the use of gestures, body posture, eye gaze, and facial expression.
Prosody is usually abnormal in children with autism.
The communication skills of an autistic child change over time, due to developmental processes and interventions. Play, Interests and Activities Young children with autism usually do not engage in imaginative play. They may line up toys without awareness as to what the toys represent. Their play is usually restricted to repetition and perseveration. They may line up their toys for hours, or watch the same video over and over again.