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Echolalia in a 2.5 YO

59 replies

Candyflower58 · 28/06/2025 07:24

My nearly 2.5 YO little girl still uses a lot of echolalia and I am starting to think that it is not normal kid in her language acquisition
She

  1. sleeps and naps well 13 hours
  2. Eats a good variety of food although a bit picky but loves green vegetables
  3. Follow 2 step directions even when upset about something .
  4. She can focus well for activities like colouring for a good 10 minutes and read a couple of books .
  5. Always hold my hand outside
  6. Doesn’t have meltdowns . When tantrums she stops within 10 minutes and easily redirected
  7. She interacts well with caretakers and family . She plays back and forth with her peers by exchanging and sharing toys , playing with the ball
  8. Has appropriate social boundaries and always shares her toys , copies children’s actions when parallel play
  9. Doesn’t bite , push , throw .
  10. She is excited to go to new places etc
  11. She loves getting messy with play doh , colouring
  12. She always holds my hand outside
  13. Always eager to follow commands like tidying up and bed time

Communication wise

  1. speaks in 3-4 word sentences
  2. Asks lots of questions : what’s that ? What happened ? What’s that sound ? Where is my toy / daddy ? What have you got ?
  3. Answer easy yes and no questions , some easy why questions , open ended ones like what did you do ? What do you want ? What’s / where’s who’s ?
  4. Uses easy pronouns like I , me , you mine , ours , yours not always correctly
  5. She shows her toys to new people

She almost always repeats phrases that we say but not questions and if I say to her “ hello my baby’s name “ she just repeats it . She can form long spontaneous sentences like “ my bunny is eating food “ when she does the action of feeding bunny but to make a request she still uses single words. At times she says “ I want more pasta” but not a lot .

I did ask professionals and they just brushed it off as normal development that will taper off after 3 .

OP posts:
Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 28/06/2025 08:04

Dear Op ‘ no one else sees these traits’ because they are not there.

Please try to relax and stay calm, you are more likely to harm yourDD by being over anxious at this stage of her life.

Candyflower58 · 28/06/2025 07:54

TouchOfSilverShampoo · 28/06/2025 07:32

My now 9yo has echolalia and has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

As a toddler - her speech was great, she had good relationships with caregivers, eye contact, she never slept and could be fussy with food but no more so than any other toddler.

It was really only by the time she was 5 I knew she was “quirky” with a diagnosis following by the time she was 8.

You know her best - girls mask exceptionally well and you could have a completely typical curious child or it could be more, but professionals DO brush off, particularly girls, until more challenges present.

I agree .. and my daughter sounds like yours language wise ( I am not sure about adhd as no one in the family has it or ever been diagnosed with it ) may I ask if she is happy and how difficult life is ? I have been mainly alone in this journey as no one sees these traits

OP posts:
Citroenc1 · 28/06/2025 07:48

we had a lot of echolalia (autism diagnosis later on) but not much other speech and echolalia was the repetition of random phrases (things she has heard at nursery for example) at bedtime. we didn't have much other speech and language. Your daughter sounds fine if that is the only worry you have.

ShittyHottie · 28/06/2025 07:45

You need to seek help with your anxiety.

As you've been told many many times.

Your child sounds like she is developing within a typical range. Enjoy her. Stop trying to find things wrong with her.

whynotmereally · 28/06/2025 07:43

It could be a processing thing. She may grow out of it, I certainly wouldn’t worry at 2. I’d keep an eye on it and if she’s still doing it at 4 ask to be referred to speech and language ( or if wait lists are high in your area ask to be referred now or self refer depending on process)

Zonder · 28/06/2025 07:35

This repetition can be part of learning to process what other people are saying. On its own with all the other positive characteristics you have told us I don't think it's a cause for concern at the moment.

TouchOfSilverShampoo · 28/06/2025 07:32

My now 9yo has echolalia and has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

As a toddler - her speech was great, she had good relationships with caregivers, eye contact, she never slept and could be fussy with food but no more so than any other toddler.

It was really only by the time she was 5 I knew she was “quirky” with a diagnosis following by the time she was 8.

You know her best - girls mask exceptionally well and you could have a completely typical curious child or it could be more, but professionals DO brush off, particularly girls, until more challenges present.

Didimum · 28/06/2025 07:31

I did ask professionals and they just brushed it off as normal development that will taper off after 3 .

I’m not sure what else you’re looking for if you’ve been told this?

InterestedDad37 · 28/06/2025 07:27

Sounds OK to me, she sounds like a bright young thing. You're right to be keeping an eye on things though, my own eldest had an issue with selective mutism (which eventually resolved itself) but was a big worry for a while.