does echolaic speech always indicate a problem?

Hi everyone,

I'm really hoping someone can help me put my mind at rest. My little boy is turning 3 next week, and for the past couple of months he has been repeating quite a bit of what we say right after we say it.

For example, if we ask "do you want a biscuit", he often, but not always, repeats it... I'm pretty sure he understands most of what we say, although sometimes it's hard to tell as he also has very selective hearing. Anyway I wasn't concerned that this was an indicator of a problem until one of the women at his childcare centre brought it up.

So I've been panicking about it all day. Does anyone have any experience with this? Does this kind of behaviour occur in children without it necessarily indicating a problem?

We're taking him to the doctor on Monday, but really wanted to get some opinions about it, to hopefully put my mind at rest over the weekend.

Thank you. Any thoughts are very much appreciated. I'm driving myself crazy thinking about it. D:

Are you asking this from a spectrum perspective?

From my personal experience, a 3 year old that talks a lot of echolalia could be a problem BUT it's not only one marker that points to a problem.

Echolalia on it's own could just be a speech concern but if there are other things he is doing it could mean there is more to it. There is an in depth questionnaire called CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Score google it, lots of info out there) but I think a 3yo is too young to be assessed anyway. From what I understand and have experienced they don't diagnosed until 4 unless they are severs because some things improve with maturity if that makes sense.

My 9yo son who has aspergers did a lot of it at that age but my 4yo son has never spoken like that but is showing other traits that have his kinder teachers concerned (yep *exhale* could have 2 spectrum kids ;) ). Really the kinder teacher should be giving you more than one reason why she thinks there is a problem and providing a report for you to take to the Dr. The have regional field officers for kinders that can asess your child too but they only work in 4yo kinder (I just asked about this). Also the shire could help so contact your MCHN for advice. Our shire has a group called toddler matters which is like a playgroup that you attend that has a couple of different therapists watching. Find out if there is something like that in your area.

I hope this hasn't freaked you out :hug: I'm tired and should be in bed so it might not be coming across the right way!

I think they would probably start with hearing tests and looking at how ds is hearing things and processing it. It can be an indicator or a few things and spectrum stuff does come to mind with me too. Does he have any other 'quirks'?