There are many valid ways to communicate, but our society tends to emphasize “mouth words,” or words spoken out loud using our mouths. When someone does not communicate this way, they often face stigma, denied autonomy, and infantilization as a result. Unfortunately, even trained providers commit these harmful behaviors, such as talking about a client like they aren’t there or like they can’t understand, just because the client does not speak out loud the way we expect.
There are different reasons why someone might not use mouth words, and many people do not understand these differences. Learn more about different reasons why someone might not use mouth words and how to support and communicate with people with different communication needs.
Nonspeaking Individuals
Someone who is nonspeaking does not use mouth words to communicate. They may make noises and articulate words, but they tend not to have conversations out loud the way that neurotypical society expects. Some use terms like non-oral or minimally speaking.
Someone who is nonspeaking may use sign language, written language, or a communication board to express themselves.
(Note: The term “nonverbal” used to be used to describe nonspeaking, but many with lived experience and advocates have pushed for the term nonspeaking because it is more affirming and does not hold the stigma attached to nonverbal.)
People Who Lose Speech
Losing speech is different from being nonspeaking because someone who loses speech has the ability to use mouth words at other times. For example, some autistic people report losing the ability to speak out loud during times of overstimulation or during episodes of burnout.
Losing speech is not the same as simply choosing to be quiet. Some people who experience loss of speech report times when they struggle to talk with their mouths but can force themselves at significant cost (a form of masking). Others have shared that they cannot fully speak with their mouths until they have a chance to regulate and decompress from the shutdown.
If someone loses speech, they can benefit from having communication cards or other augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods available to them to use on an as-needed basis.
It is important to differentiate losing speech from being nonspeaking. When we conflate the two, it may lead to someone assuming that a nonspeaking person could use mouth words under the right circumstances or if they simply “tried harder,” which is both false and harmful.
Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder that causes the impacted person to lose the ability to speak with their mouth during times of heightened anxiety. This often occurs in social environments, and some psychologists see it as a form of social anxiety.
Selective mutism is distinct from losing speech because it is triggered by anxiety rather than overwhelm and shutdown. Those who experience selective mutism have shared that they physically cannot use mouth words when their anxiety is triggered. They may be able to use communication boards or cards to cue others to their needs in the moment.
Conclusion
While those who need different forms of communication may benefit from similar supports, the reasons why someone communicates differently vary. It is important not to assume that someone is being “difficult” or choosing not to use a specific form of communication.
If you or a loved one uses alternative methods of communication, you deserve to be heard and to have your needs met without masking or conforming to neurotypical standards.
