Do children keep repeating the words we say? Especially with children who have developmental needs or autism, we can often see them repeating the questions we ask as if it is the answer.
That is what we call echolalic speech. They repeat the same question as the answer.
The Two Types of Echolalia
There are generally two types of echolalia:
● Immediate Echolalia: Repeating the exact sentence we just said.
● Delayed Echolalia: Using words they have seen in videos or cartoons and repeating them later.
Children with autism use what we call echolalic speech to remember the words they have learned, to process them, and to use them later in life when needed.
How Do We Address Echolalia?
All children learn new words through imitation, remembering them, and using them. However, when addressing echolalia specifically, we can follow these steps:
1. Understand the Intent: Firstly, understand what the child is trying to convey when they use echolalic speech.
2. Model, Don't Criticize: Secondly, when the child communicates with echolalic speech, do not criticize it, but model the correct speech for the child.
3. Stay Calm: Thirdly, never become anxious about echolalic speech—recognize that it is part of normal development.
The Role of Systematic Practice
They usually give correct answers to familiar questions, but when it comes to unfamiliar or complex questions, that is when they repeat the question itself.
Through effective and systematic speech therapy, we can help change the child’s echolalic speech. When the child learns scientifically to answer familiarized questions, we can gradually address echolalic speech.
Conclusion
Echolalic speech is not something we need to be afraid of. It is actually a sign of the child’s language development.
Step by step, if they are given systematic practice in how to answer complex questions, they will gradually learn to think, process, and respond when we ask a question.