300 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 355-6000 Clinical Services (Autism Language Program): Communication Difficulties When a child with autism is described as having communication difficulties, it means the child: finds extreme difficulty understanding spoken language has difficulty formulating sentences and talking has difficulty having a conversation, and engaging in normal social interactions has difficulty using and understanding gestures In the ALP, our clinicians believe that these communication difficulties and struggles are a primary deficit for children with autism. Often, when communication improves, so does the behavior and social related problems. The information on this website should not be taken as medical advice, which can only be given to you by your personal health care professional. Copyright © Children's Hospital Boston. All rights reserved.