Hey everybody,
DS-3 is very intelligent, but he was language delayed with few to no words until a word explosion at about 2.75 years (he just turned 3 this week, so this was just a few months ago). He went from a few words when encouraged to full 3-4 word sentences within 4 weeks. He actually had enough improvement that we went from looking into extra special ed help when he aged out of his current services to him graduating the program overall, just like that.
But now I'm wondering if we are having issues, if this is a tick of sorts or if this is just his way of showing his understanding of what I'm saying. Just about everything I tell him, he echos. If I say 'it's time to go to snack', he'll repeat 'go snack?' Or if I say, 'we have storytime today', he'll repeat 'storytime today?' He speaks in full sentences otherwise but this is a constant throughout the day.
Anyone else deal with this?
I'm fairly new to this idea that he is quite possibly gifted. He is showing abilities about a year to year and half older than he is, if that makes sense. I just can't tell if this is a quirk, an issue related to his previous language issues or his new way to process information back to me.
Jolaine I was going to say Echolalia. With a history of speech delay and now echolalia plus signs of giftedness you might want to consider a careful evaluation for any developmental conditions that might be at play.
DS8 was similar - not a word until within a day or so of his second birthday (so, not super late) and started speaking by handing me alphabet blocks and naming the letters. He then progressed rapidly to full sentences (he made up for his previous lack of babbling
) A few months later he went through a phase that was
very echolalia-like... so much so that I was googling it daily for about a week. He then outgrew it. He's 8 now, with pretty typical speech. Autism has been ruled out, although he does have a dx of ADHD, and interestingly, a language processing disorder.
He actually had enough improvement that we went from looking into extra special ed help when he aged out of his current services to him graduating the program overall, just like that.
This happened with DD10
She also spoke a bit late. She was just like her brother - not a word until 24 months. Since she was our first and we weren't sure what we were dealing with, we sought help and she was put in a Hanen program and seen by a speech pathologist. A month or so later, she was speaking full sentences. It was almost as if prior to that she was silently studying us, and then when she was ready, she decided to speak. No echolalia from her - definitely from her brother though.
Shoot, I was hoping you'd say I was worrying for nothing.
CCN, I'm hoping that since your DS took a similar path that it will prove to be nothing. I might give it a few more weeks or so to see if it improves or disappears.
DS-3 was definitely in an observation phase for a long time. We could tell he was absorbing things, almost like he was taking everything in and processing it so much that he had no time to talk. He actually knew his letters shortly before 2 (would pick it out from a pile or on his computer programs), but couldn't verbalize them until way later. DH thinks he's just thrilled to be able to repeat us, so we'll see.
Thanks everyone!
It can be hard to know if there's an issue or not. However my DS has long since outgrown his echolalia phase.
Our school has been convinced that DS8 has autism, and it's taken me getting a "no" from five different professionals (the last being a psychiatrist who deals only in autism) for the school to let it go. He's quirky and has behaviours (sensory) that look like autism, but he simply doesn't meet the diagnostic criteria. He's just too high functioning, with very typical theory of mind.
Here's another thought - my DS has a piece of audio processing disorder (but not the full disorder): binaural integration imbalance. Basically it means that his brain listens more to his right ear than his left (he's had five "normal" hearing tests... his ears are great - it's his brain that's still working out the kinks). He was assessed shortly after he turned eight.
Audio processing can develop later in some kids. DS's BII should be fully resolved by the time he's around 12. Meanwhile, when he was little and echolalic, who knows what his brain was doing as far as audio processing goes. I'm just throwing theories out there when I suggest the Echolalia was related to audio processing, but who knows, really?
I'd keep an eye on it, but don't panic (it's good that you're so on top of it). He might just need time to develop through it.
DD toe-walked until VERY late (she was still doing this occasionally at 4-6yo), and also went through an echolalia-like phase.
It was very disconcerting. Anytime DD says something... er... odd, for lack of a better word, just... something that isn't in HER voice, if that makes sense...
I know to ask "Where did that come from?" Now, she's self-aware enough to tell me. Not so much when she was 2 or 3, though. She would use whole chunks of language (phrases, sentences, or even more) contextually-appropriately, but I could often identify where she got them from. (Books, TV shows, conversation, the radio, etc.)
I don't think that other people noticed it as much; even DH doesn't pick up on it the way that I do. I'm more sensitive to 'voice' in spoken and written communication than most people, though-- this has been quite a handy thing in ferreting out plagiarism over the years, I must say. Because she used them appropriately, it was like a super-charged version of language acquisition operating on the context model, not true echolalia.
It's possible that this behavior (which DD also did for a time) is more about "did I hear you correctly?" and not something else. This only made sense to me when DD was older and we realized just how impaired her hearing was when she was <2.5 yo and had basically continuous ear infections and congestion. No wonder she was using what in an adult would be considered "mirroring," and seeking confirmation that we were understanding one another!!
DD did the same thing about talking a little later than typical kids, but interestingly since then her enunciation has always been excellent--we had very little 'baby talk.' She also did the echolalia thing especially when she was 2-3, and would repeat the whole thing that was said to her, without changing the pronoun. She stopped that but now she does the palilalia (?) thing--repeating her words under her breath. I think she's just fine but you should be aware the echolalia is sometimes associated with the autism spectrum, and our DD has been diagnosed as having Asperger's/ high functioning autism. But IMO I wouldn't worry about your DS at this point if that's the only unusual thing you've noticed; as you say, he might just be processing how to communicate.
I know to ask "Where did that come from?" Now, she's self-aware enough to tell me. Not so much when she was 2 or 3, though. She would use whole chunks of language (phrases, sentences, or even more) contextually-appropriately, but I could often identify where she got them from. (Books, TV shows, conversation, the radio, etc.)
DD3.5 has been doing this type of delayed echolalia since 21 months old. However, like your dd, it was always intentional and contextually appropriate. She was always aware what she was doing and could tell even at 2, where the dialogue came from. I believe that this type of repetition helps with language acquisition and is nothing to worry about. Based on my research, echolalia that is involuntary and done without comprehension is something to worry about, but especially in children >5 yo.
Jolaine83, you can either wait to see if your ds outgrows this in the next 6 months. Or if you are really concerned, talk to the pediatrician. Hopefully it is just a phase.
My youngest DD also will often echo new vocab and phraseology, and repeats what she has heard in appropriate ways soon after hearing. She also asks really weird questions that she knows the answer too - I'll pick her up from daycare and she'll run over telling everyone she passes "It's my mummy, my mummy is here!" And then as we walk out holding hands she will say to me "Are you my mummy?" She verbalizes every thought she ever has (well it feels like every thought, though it probably isn't), often making quite simple statements, but its quite enchanting how she so clearly and simply describes her world in a non stop series of comments or questions. It seems to be part of her way of integrating and/or verifying everything.
DD toe-walked until VERY late (she was still doing this occasionally at 4-6yo), and also went through an echolalia-like phase.
It's possible that this behavior (which DD also did for a time) is more about "did I hear you correctly?" and not something else. This only made sense to me when DD was older and we realized just how impaired her hearing was when she was <2.5 yo and had basically continuous ear infections and congestion. No wonder she was using what in an adult would be considered "mirroring," and seeking confirmation that we were understanding one another!!
This makes me wonder if it's not what he's doing. We know his hearing is fine, because since his language has been delayed his hearing is tested every 6 months. He certainly seems to be aware of doing it and he does stop for short periods of time if asked (it tends to drive me batty after he does it 6-7 times in a row.) So, he could either be double checking what I'm saying or just enjoying his use of words now that he has them.
DD did the same thing about talking a little later than typical kids, but interestingly since then her enunciation has always been excellent--we had very little 'baby talk.' She also did the echolalia thing especially when she was 2-3, and would repeat the whole thing that was said to her, without changing the pronoun. She stopped that but now she does the palilalia (?) thing--repeating her words under her breath. I think she's just fine but you should be aware the echolalia is sometimes associated with the autism spectrum, and our DD has been diagnosed as having Asperger's/ high functioning autism. But IMO I wouldn't worry about your DS at this point if that's the only unusual thing you've noticed; as you say, he might just be processing how to communicate.
I do appreciate the heads up about that! I do not think he's on the spectrum because he's been watched for it during his speech therapy because he was so delayed without a clear reasoning. He also didn't walk until 16 months, so we were concerned at that point. Since then, this seems to be the only oddity in his behavior. The rest can be explained by being ahead of his peers mentally.
I think we'll just keep an eye on it at this point. Unfortunately, since he just turned 3, his next appointment isn't for another year. So, we'd have to make a special one for this. We'll just see. I'm glad to know that this doesn't seem to be a permanent thing and that others have experienced it to know what I'm talking about. I feel less crazy!
Thanks everyone!
now she does the palilalia (?) thing--repeating her words under her breath.
Gosh, this has a name. My DS does this (did? I don't notice it now and it's hard to say how much is my brain editing it out - DH says he now often repeats just the last phoneme, but I can't confirm).
Actually the number of things associated with autism that my DS has is beyond a joke - sometimes feels as though the one thing he doesn't have is a problem!
DS5.5 repeat sentences (whispering) and I also chalk it up to working on language processing, but will keep an eye on it going forward.
Very interesting reading. I'm not sure I have much intelligent to add, but my 2 yr old has had a long mess of ear, hearing, and language concerns beginning before she was a year old (3 ear surgs, 6 hearing tests so far, 1 EI eval, sigh) and she's ok "enough" that she hasn't qualified for any services or help but it really freaks me out a little overall. We have a great and caring med team, a friend who is in EI, and so it's not a lack of access, but...
I keep wondering when I can get someone to say, ok, NOW we can help her out, she meets XYZ criteria.
She is very talkative now and quite bright, but a whole lot of what she says is garbled, and she has done the repeating thing for a LONG time. Half the time now it's "Huh?", the other half it is two words of what we just said, seemingly confirming or asking us to explain something. This feels like a huge improvement (versus only repeating). I've also read that repeating can persist up until around age 3, and since she has slowly been making verbal forward progress, I'm trying to be patient...
As always, make sure your child for whom you have any concerns for hearing or language issues get an audiology hearing exam. Not just the pediatrician's quick screen. My son has a 70 dB loss in his ear (85 dB is totally deaf, so it's a huge hearing loss) that was missed at the yearly pediatrician's visit. I finally asked for an audiology exam in the soundproof room, and that is when it was discovered.
He's successfully worn a hearing aid for the last 4 years and has done fantastic. Just FYI.
Jack's Mom - Most definitely, for anyone reading this - she has had ALL of her hearing exams at Mass Eye and Ear by many excellent AuD's. There are consistent inconsistencies, so it's been frustrating to say the least. We know she is hearing conversational levels well, and speech development should not be impaired.
However, for lack of a diagnosis of anything her speech has always been challenged. I think I may have spoken with you in the past, actually...
Shoot, I was hoping you'd say I was worrying for nothing.
CCN, I'm hoping that since your DS took a similar path that it will prove to be nothing. I might give it a few more weeks or so to see if it improves or disappears.
i'll just chime in with my dad's favourite story about me as a child. apparently i said NOTHING for 2 years - and then one day in the car, we passed a construction site, and i said, "look, mum, look at the crane!" dad apparently nearly drove off the road, pulled over and then everyone had a good cry.
they told me i also repeated everything they said for a time, as well - but they eventually worked out that i was actually mirroring THEIR pattern. every time i said something, they would repeat it to me... so i started reflecting that behaviour back to them - until i realized that wasn't the way everyone communicated - just my weirdo parents!
so... it totally could be something as silly as this! but everyone's advice above, is as usual, totally great. all the best to you!