Speech Problems

[mackie0001]

Does anyone have any advice? My son is three in Feb and he can say many words but but only when he's repeating what you say. I honestly don't know what to do. He has been to a speech therapist but only had one session but I'm not sure if i need to push for more. Tonight I have been trying to get him to answer a question such as "do you want a yogurt" and he just repeats everything back. Its driving me insane. I'm worried there is something very wrong but I am also getting so irritated by it now.

Definitely push for more speech therapy. Also has he had a review by the health visitor? They can offer help, as should his nursery/pre school if he goes to one.

Sounds a lot like echolalia. Have you any other concerns at all? If you gave him a choice between say water and juice (pick the one he most likes and say that first) see which he picks.

do you think he understands you? the Salt must have made an assessment. what did the Salt say/suggest.

agree with PP, sounds like echolalia. it is not exclusive but very common in ASD. combined with the seemingly delayed understanding (just guessing because he is not responding to questions but just echoing these back), I would be concerned. Are there any other concerns?

Msqueen33 I've just looked it up and he has every symptom :(
Thank you I'll call the health adviser and speech therapist tomorrow

symptom of what? autism?

make a GP appointment and get a referral to a developmental paed.

Apart from what pp have said about seeing health visitor etc just wanted to offer some reassurance. My DS could only repeat things, and not very clearly until he was 5. He was mute in school (apart from the very occasional repetion of an odd word). Speech school and HV all questioned his level of understanding because of this, but we were convinced he could understand. He's now 6.5 speaking in full sentences (English and Welsh no less) and even had a speaking part in the school nativity this year. He's still a little reluctant to speak in school and his speech some times isn't very clear but imporves daily. the behavioural psychologist was our saviour she identified selective mutism/reluctant speech where all others were suggesting ASD/autism, and the peaditricain agreed with her.
Sorry for babbling on and not really offering much help but a few years ago we were where you are,and it's so worrying we had to fight against ALOT of "advice" and opinions because what the SLT and HV saw in 30mins wasn't the same as what we knew/saw but with the right advice DS has come on leaps and bounds.

Try not to panic (easier said than done) and contact speech. My younger two have asd and both have echolahlia (I'm not by any means suggesting he has asd) and we had a lot of learnt language but my middle DC is six now and speaks really well. Her language is within the right age range. Youngest it's too soon to tell as she's only three but she repeats a lot.

Thanks everyone. I'm trying not to panic but if I'm honest I have always had a feeling that he's a little different for a good while now. I'll definitely be on the phone tomorrow to get an appointment.

Good luck 🙂 The Sen board on here is great if you need to know more.