Can children learn a language no one around them speaks?

In this episode of Psychology In The Media, we explore a fascinating 2025 study by Gagnon, Ostrolenk, and Mottron examining unexpected bilingualism in minimally verbal autistic children. Surprisingly, many children in the study showed the ability to recognize or use a second language without direct social exposure.

We break down what this means for how language develops, why structured input like media might play a bigger role than we thought, and how these findings challenge traditional assumptions about autism and communication.

This episode highlights an important takeaway: development doesn’t always follow one path—and sometimes, strengths show up in unexpected ways.

Full Article: Gagnon, D., Ostrolenk, A., & Mottron, L. (2025). Early manifestations of unexpected bilingualism in minimally verbal autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 67(5), 652–662. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70032

Music track: Sunflower by Lukrembo

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