Echolalia is a normal part of speech and language development. It improves over the first two years of life. Pathological echolalia persists beyond the age of 3 years. Echolalia is a salient speech disturbance characteristically described in children with autism.
Echolalia is the use of repetitive words and phrases in communication. It is a natural phase of language development in toddlers. But kids often outgrow it when they reach their third birthday. However, children with autism often fail to outgrow this condition.
Check with a speech therapist to improve language and communication skills if you or your child has echolalia. You can also try online self-training programs to learn to talk without repeating words. Reading vocabulary and finding different ways to communicate may help you overcome echolalia over time.
The short answer to your question is no. Echolalia is not only associated with Autism, but also with several other conditions, including congenital blindness, intellectual disability, developmental delay, language delay, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia and others.
Echolalia is a normal part of speech and language development. It improves over the first two years of life. Pathological echolalia persists beyond the age of 3 years.
Echolalia means that your child is repeating what they hear in an automatic way. It is a behavior of children who are presenting as being on the autism spectrum, but it doesn't always mean that your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Many children on the autism spectrum use echolalia (repeating other people's words and sentences) as a way of responding to direction, as well as expressing their wants and needs. Echolalia may be confusing for parents and neurotypical people but it need not be distressing.
Echolalia is often associated with ASD, but some individuals with ADHD may also engage in echolalia. The symptoms of ASD and ADHD are similar, which often makes diagnosis difficult. Additionally, some evidence notes that 50–70% of individuals with ASD also present with ADHD.
SLPs can support language learning through interaction.
Following a child's lead by using low-constraint language models—like comments, affirmations and reflective questions—can support natural language development in children with ASD who demonstrate echolalia.
What causes echolalia? The exact cause of echolalia is not known, however, speech imitation and repetition is a normal part of language development in toddlers younger than three years. After three years, self-regulation of speech and language typically develops.
People with echolalia "echo" or repeat words, sounds, or phrases. Sometimes the repeated words have no meaning, but they are often used to communicate. Echolalia can be disturbing to listeners because it sounds strange, but in itself, it is not harmful or dangerous.
Some children with ASD develop meaningful language after age 5. "There is a burst of kids in the 6- to 7- age range who do get language," Dr. Wodka said.
Language Development
In typically developing children, echolalia peaks at 30 months and fades by the time the child is 3 years old. Often echolalia is a developmental step in an autistic child's language and cognitive development; about 75% of children with ASD exhibit echolalia [NIH].
In non-interactive echolalia, the child isn't trying to speak to anyone else. They might be repeating words or phrases to themselves for their own purposes—for example, to "practice" an idea or as a calming mechanism. The repetition could be stimming, but it may have no meaning at all.
Children on the autism spectrum use echolalia because they learn language differently. Typically developing children tend to begin learning language by first understanding and using single words, and then they gradually string them together to make phrases and sentences.
Many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may repeat what they hear familiar people say or repeat lines from their favorite shows. When children repeat words, phrases, or sentences right after they hear them, this is called immediate echolalia.
Repetitive behaviors are among the first signs of autism to emerge in toddlerhood. They are seen in people across the autism spectrum. They tend to be more pronounced in those with lower cognitive ability, however. Repetitive behaviors have been recognized as part of autism since the condition was first described.
By three years of age, you should see pretty minimal echolalia. 3-year-olds should be creating their own simple sentences to communicate with the world around them. You may still see a little echolalia here and there but the child's speech should be predominantly their own thoughts.
While mannerisms such as random humming or screaming are known as vocal stims, echolalia and palilalia are known as verbal stimming. This is because vocal stimming involves the use of sounds other than talking, whereas verbal stimming usually involves speech.
The key to helping a child who uses echolalia is to figure out the meaning behind the echolalia, and then respond in a way that helps them learn. You can do this by being your child's “detective”, and then being their interpreter.
There are two types of echolalia—immediate and delayed. Immediate echolalia refers to utterances that are repeated immediately or after a brief delay. Delayed echolalia refers to utterances that are repeated after a significant delay (Prizant & Rydell, 1984).
Repetitive behaviour
For example, children might: make repetitive noises like grunts, throat-clearing or squealing. do repetitive movements like body-rocking or hand-flapping. do things like flicking a light switch repeatedly.