Presuming Competence

There’s an idea within the autism community of presuming competence. The meaning may sound simple and straight to the point, but it can show up in ways one might not expect. If to presume means to make the assumption ahead of time, and competence is the ability to comprehend, the definition should simply mean assuming someone can do and understand something, right? While this is true, it runs deeper than that. 

When working or interacting with an autistic individual, many may go into it with certain expectations. Maybe the child has little to no vocal communication. Maybe they will stare at you with supposed minimal action if you ask them to do something. The way traits of autism can present often leads people to form this assumption that autistic individuals will act childlike. Even with children, it can show up by viewing them as younger than their age. This mindset can foster subconscious biases that impact how one treats a person with autism. Even when this is unintentional, it is still important to reflect on. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability, but this does not mean that the child is automatically capable of less. Every autistic person is different. If you have met one person with autism, you have simply met one person with autism. Their lived experience could never encapsulate the broad spectrum of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is why individualized care is essential when it comes to supporting your child. 

This type of individuality means each autistic individual will have a variety of skills and comprehension. However, that does not mean we should water down our words or make assumptions of their capabilities. This is why presuming competence is critical. It shows up in a multitude of ways. In ABA, we may see this when assessing a child to come up with programs to best support their goals. If we walk into the assessment with the assumption that the child cannot do certain tasks, we could very well be denying them of their full potential and chances to grow. A child may one day fully wash their hands with little to no assistance, but then benefit from extra help with multiple steps the next day. This does not mean that the child can no longer complete the task on their own, but that there may be other factors influencing the need for additional support. Dysregulation is a common example of this. The child may be experiencing more hypersensitivity to sensory input that day. Being autistic myself, I can speak from experience when I say I struggle far more with tasks some days that I do not struggle with on others. This does not mean I am unable to perform the task or understand what I have to do, rather I may just need additional support or encouragement to complete it. 

We also need to carry this presumption that a child can understand what it is you are saying to them. Even if they are not verbally replying to you or repeating back what they were asked, that does not mean that they cannot understand you. Speaking in a calm, neutral tone, getting at their level when appropriate, and allowing them time to process gives them the best chance to form the answer or complete the task on their own. Sometimes delayed processing can make it appear as if the child is ignoring you or not understanding, when they really just need a minute. A general rule of thumb I like to use is that if you would not talk to an allistic (non-autistic) child of that same age in that way, you should avoid talking to the autistic individual that way. Of course, not every child may be able to carry out certain tasks without additional support or more simplified phrasing, but it is better to presume that they can and make adjustments as needed. That is the beauty of seeing every autistic child as just that– an individual. Each one will have their own needs and you can make those accommodations as needed. 

The interactions you have with a child don’t just happen in how you talk to them, but also how you talk around them. When we presume the child can comprehend what you are saying to them and what is occurring in their environment, you also need to assume they are listening to your conversations and understanding what you are talking about. Confiding in someone else about topics around something that happened at work, or even with the child themself, is a healthy and natural response. With that being said, it is important to be mindful in the setting of those conversations. While the child may not appear to be listening to what you are saying, that does not mean they aren’t. Just as you would not talk about a friend when they are sitting across the room, it is important to carry those same standards around a child with ASD. Assume they are listening and assume they are comprehending, as they likely are. 

Fostering a healthy and nurturing environment for any child is crucial. It does not matter whether they are autistic or allistic. Presuming they are understanding what you say and do is always better than assuming they are not or cannot. Every human being deserves to feel listened to, understood, and valued. Taking these seemingly small steps is a wonderful way to ensure that a child feels this, as it is critical to their development. How this happens will look a little different for everybody, but giving them this support is a way to ensure they get that push in the right direction.

~ Victoria Weger, Registered Behavior Technician @ MTC