Examining the Transition from Single Words to Phrase Speech in Children with ASD: A Systematic Review

This systematic review synthesized data from 20 independent studies to characterize autistic children who progressed from single-word speech to phrase speech, finding that approximately 48% of participants achieved this transition during their study periods. Children under age 5 were more likely to transition to phrases than older children, and those who did transition generally showed below-average adaptive and cognitive skills despite developing generative language abilities.