All About Echolalia
As children learn to talk and communicate with others, it is common for them to repeat what they’ve heard. By age 3, frequent repetition of words and phrases will typically subside. For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or other developmental delays, however, repetitive speech or echolalia, often continues to present further into childhood. Echolalia can negatively impact socioemotional wellbeing, as it can result in difficulties communicating with others and expressing one’s thoughts and feelings. Keep reading to learn more about echolalia, and how we can best help children with echolalia find their own voice.
Background on Echolalia
Echolalia is the repetition of phrases and noises that have been heard before. For example, immediate echolalia may present when a parent asks his child, “What do you want for breakfast?”, and the child immediately responds with, “What do you want for breakfast?”. Delayed echolalia may present when a parent asks his child, “What do you want for breakfast?” and the child answers with a phrase he’s heard hours/days earlier, “Buzz LightYear to the Rescue!”.
Children with echolalia do not respond with these repetitive phrases on purpose; oftentimes, it may be how they learn language and attempt to communicate with others. Below we will discuss the different types of echolalia, as there are two main categories: interactive echolalia and non-interactive echolalia. Interactive echolalia is attempted communication with others, while non-interactive echolalia is meant mostly for personal use. Below please find two tables that describe interactive echolalia and non-interactive echolalia in more detail.
If your child has ASD and is exhibiting echolalia, research tells us that there are patterns in the way it progresses into more flexible and spontaneous speech. Thus, there is comfort in knowing that echolalia can be a useful stepping stone to spontaneous speech.
How to Treat Echolalia
In order to effectively treat echolalia, it is important to understand why the child is repeating or echoing, as all children use echolalia for different purposes. Some children use echolalia because it is how they best communicate wants/needs, while other children use echolalia to self-soothe.
This is where it becomes important to be your child’s own detective; observe your child and his/her interests, listen carefully, and wait patiently without talking. After determining what it is your child needs/wants, be your child’s interpreter by using specific strategies listed below. These specific strategies may be implemented either in speech therapy with a skilled speech-language pathologist, or in the home setting:
| When echolalia is due to delayed language skills |
|
| When echolalia is used to request |
|
| When a child echoes the last word of questions (e.g., “do you want milk?” Child: “milk”) |
|
| When a child echoes your praise (e.g., “What does the cow say?” Child: “woof woof! Good job!” |
|
| When echolalia is self-stimulatory |
|
Speech-language pathologists and their team will be able to help determine more of why your child is displaying echolalia, and how to best help him/her. If you live in Florida, please call Exceptional Speech Therapy to receive a free screening and/or comprehensive speech-language evaluation, both virtually or in-person. For virtual evaluations check out our new service, Exceptional Teletherapy.
As always, we wish for your child to be a successful communicator, all the while being happy and enjoying the loveliness of childhood.
Andrea Scola, M.S., CF-SLP
Exceptional Speech Therapy Blog Writer
References:
21, L., 22, S., 27, Z., 27, S., 27, L., 28, K., . . . 7, K. (2019, June 06). Echolalia: When Children Repeat What You Say. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/echolalia-when-children-repeat-what-you-say/
Lowry, L. (n.d.). 3 Things You Should Know About Echolalia. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/3-Things-You-Should-Know-About-Echolalia.aspx
Lowry, L. (n.d.). Helping Children Who Use Echolalia. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Helping-Children-Who-Use-Echolalia.aspx
Stubblefield, H. (2019). Echolalia. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/echolalia
References:
21, L., 22, S., 27, Z., 27, S., 27, L., 28, K., . . . 7, K. (2019, June 06). Echolalia: When Children Repeat What You Say. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/echolalia-when-children-repeat-what-you-say/
Lowry, L. (n.d.). 3 Things You Should Know About Echolalia. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/3-Things-You-Should-Know-About-Echolalia.aspx
Lowry, L. (n.d.). Helping Children Who Use Echolalia. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Helping-Children-Who-Use-Echolalia.aspx
Stubblefield, H. (2019). Echolalia. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/echolalia
Contact Us
If you have any questions about speech therapy in Miami or Doral, Florida or would like to book an appointment for speech therapy, please call Exceptional Speech Therapy at 786.717.5649 or fill out the form below.
5 Creative Ways to Wean Your Child off the Pacifier
Ah, the beloved pacifier – the magical tool that soothes fussy babies and saves parents from countless sleepless nights. But, there comes a time when the binky must go, as it can impact a child's oral development, sleep habits, and [...]
What is a Pediatric Sensory Diet?
Today, we will explore an example of a Pediatric Sensory Diet to kickstart your child's sensory adventure! Before we jump into the example, let's remember that every child is unique. A Sensory Diet is a personalized roadmap to support children [...]
A Collaborative Approach to Detecting and Supporting Sensory Challenges in Kids
Hello, wonderful parents! Ever noticed your child's unique reactions to the world around them? Today, we're embarking on a journey to understand and support sensory challenges in kids. In this guide, we'll explore real-life examples, tiny signals that can help [...]
