Does anyone else's dc talk to him/herself a lot...?

[siblingrivalry]

Sorry for the numerous questions I keep asking. I just don't have a clue what is going on with dd at the moment.

DD1 is going through an ASD dx. She is always talking to herself (usually while running back and forth or in circles). This morning, I thought she was having a row with dd2 in the playroom but when I went in to look, dd1 was there alone.

Then,this afternoon, we were at the checkout in Asda and she was having a very animated conversation with herself while flicking her fingers and pacing a bit.
Both dh and I were a bit thrown by this, because she doesn't usually do this in public (at least not to that degree)and she was loud.

I'm not bothered by people staring -dd2 has provided many floor shows with her spectacular tantrums . I would just love to know if this is something common to ASD?
We have over a month until her next appointment and I am feeling a bit desperate.

Thanks in advance. So many of you have taken the trouble to give me advice and encouragement.

My son talks to himself all the time it is the only way he can make sense of things.

www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1179/
"As you describe something, you become more aware of it. The more you describe something, the better you understand it, and the more you become able to describe it, in a spiraling effect. At some point, as your consciousness becomes better and better able to describe the images and perceptions your subconsciousness is producing, you will develop an engram, or pattern of recognition which will enable you to understand and verbalize what your brain is telling you about the solution to the problem which has been troubling you."

just found this one We also propose specific Pole-Bridging methods to rehabilitate brain-injured patients and stroke victims.

I still do it, but over the past 33 years have learnt to lower the volume a lot, so it's more a low whisper. I term it as 'Thinking Outloud', as that is what it seems to me to be. I remember that teachers said I should think in my head... but I could never grasp how to do that! If I am stressed about something, it can be worse and thus more noticeable by other people.
I don't have a DX, but would self-dx as AS though it could be something else. When I was 18 months old, I had a Febrile Convulsion which resulted in coma.

Mrz, that's really interesting-makes perfect sense too. Your first link describes perfectly what I think my dd is doing - you have put it into words for me. Thanks . I will show it to dh. He has also been worrying about it.

nannynick, what an awful thing to happen to you at such a young age!
You have also backed up another of my 'theories' -that the talking out loud is worse when dd is stressed.

MIL thinks it is totally normal and that everyone does it. Maybe we do, to some degree. Wish she had been in Asda with us the other day,though

Yes, my as son talks to himself while wheeling or pacing. He also talks to himself constantly in his head. I realised the other day that he has NEVER said 'mum, i'm bored' and he informed me that if he felt bored, he just made up a story or talked in his head.