Speaking more than one language may offer a significant advantage for children with autism that goes well beyond communication, a new study suggests.
Kids on the spectrum who are bilingual appear to be able to switch gears more quickly than their peers who speak only a single language, according to findings published recently in the journal Child Development.
“This is a novel and surprising finding,” said Aparna Nadig of McGill University in Montreal who is a senior author of the study. “Some researchers have argued convincingly that living as a bilingual person and having to switch languages unconsciously to respond to the linguistic context in which the communication is taking place increases cognitive flexibility. But no one has yet published research that clearly demonstrates that this advantage may also extend to children on the autism spectrum.”