Echolalia...need help?????

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-10-2004
Echolalia...need help?????
7
Fri, 03-28-2008 - 2:30pm

My son, for a long time now, has had some echolalia (usually in the form of saying what a fav show character will say BEFORE they say it b/c he's seen the show alot).

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-05-2003
Fri, 03-28-2008 - 3:17pm

Both I and my son have that!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Fri, 03-28-2008 - 4:41pm

Hmmm. this *was* the best echolalia article out there that I had found, but they have gone and changed it to a shorter, snappier and less informative version. It is still useful tho.

http://www.autism-in-the-christian-home.com/echolalia.html

Basically, echolalia is a valid way to learn language, even if it is not the way most NTs learn it after 3yo. The trick is to recognise the difference between functional and non-functional echolalia. Functional echolalia is used to communicate, whereas non-functional echolalia is often used as a stim.

It sounds like you were instinctively doing the right thing: You spotted non-functional echolalia, and you subtly corrected him, as the article suggests one should do.

Peter was very echolalic, but most of it was functional. I remember (and I have told this story often, sorry) when Peter was about 3 or 4 his sister knocked over a whole mess of stuff, and he started to quote "The cat in the hat" (in my accent!) but subtly altered it to fit: "Now look what you did! (said the fish to the cat -he left that bit out) "Now look at this mess." "Look at this" (pointed) "Look at that!" (pointed to something else). I about fell over.

I realized that he did not have the skills to form his own sentences at that time, so he just borrowed other people's words for the occaision. It got the point across!

I hope this helps

-Paula


visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-10-2004
Fri, 03-28-2008 - 6:18pm
Thanks Paula, both your post & the article gave me a better understanding.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Fri, 03-28-2008 - 8:20pm

Ginny,


Nathan is also echolalic.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2006
Fri, 03-28-2008 - 8:52pm

Hi Ginny~


Echolalia is a tough one- Sam does it quite a bit.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sat, 03-29-2008 - 12:26am

Well all I can say is..... both my boys do it alot, but it's more functional imo.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-10-2004
Sun, 03-30-2008 - 9:37pm
Paula, thank you again for your post!!!
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