DS's delayed echolalia driving me completely barmy (hence the name!!)

[Barmymummy]

Deep breath in and out.....

I need to vent! I am in no way having a pop at DS as I know he can't help it but I AM having a pop at the behaviour!!

DS has always had delayed echolalia and its the one thing that seems to be getting worse despite his speech and language coming on in huge leaps and bounds. It is slowly driving me round the bend now and I don't know how to deal with it.

DS has "age appropriate SaL" according to SaLT we saw for a one off back in June even though I expect he is at the bottom end but gives you an idea where he is anyway. I feel he has come on lots even since then but the CONSTANT spewing out of Garfield, Tom & Jerry, LazyTown, Monsters Inc, Peppa Pig etc etc is just getting ridiculous. I know it sounds like he watches alot of TV going from my list but all it takes is ONE viewing to pick up all sorts of new phrases and actions to copy. He also copies his books, his faves being Charlie & Lola quotes. He has got so good at it now that I actually can't tell sometimes that his answer was a direct copy until DD pipes up and tells me. The other way I know is that he uses the accent or tone of voice that the character has used.

So, what do I do? I have tried in vain to get him to stop and he simply can't. Within seconds he is back to doing it again. Do I ignore? He would then do it all the time and I worry that he would become lazy using his own language. But if I tell him he is copying he grins and says 'sorry!' and carries on anyway.

I really thought it would reduce as his SaL grew but its going the other way I fear. Should I ring the SaLT back and ask for another appt to see where his SaL lies now? Am worried because he starts school in Jan and I have visions of him answering the teachers with all sorts of crap he has got off tv

Just had a thought....is this stimming????

Anyone got any advice? Thanks

DD used to do this a lot but has improved as her speech improves. Still v. v. annoying though so you have my sympathy. Always worse when she is anxious / bored / out of routine.
If it's any consolation, DD has been at school TWO YEARS and has yet to speak to her teacher (she's 5, would be in reception if in UK).
I think it can be kind of like stimming. DD has these little routines (almost like a verse/response thing where you have to feed her the right reply) and it tends to start up on long journeys or when she's a bit stressed.

Barmy, It is frustrating absolutely!!!
We have this too with DS, constant repetition of words or phrases he hears on TV , or even from us talking. It's a constant feature when he plays which i don't mind , but when he starts to repeat it randomly again and again that's more annoying.

But as with DS most of the time it is hard to get him talking anyway, i/we try to ignore it (the echolalia not DS )as we don't want him to think we don't like it when he does talk, iyswim?
A lot of asd kids go through echolalia phases some longer than others, but it will lessen eventually.
Bibic therapist told us sometimes the repetition of words especially questions can be due to the child asking the 'wrong' question if he has trouble processing/saying what he wants, and when answer to 'wrong' question is given then question is repeated as the answer given doesn't 'match' what the child has really in mind...sorry a bit confusing and hard to explain.

You could in the meantime ask for salt to see him again. That'd be a good thing to do, salt may give you tips on how to manage echolalia.

Thanks

Thing is that every bit of echolalia he says is completely in context so he never asks the wrong question iykwim. Its purely just constant drivvle (either during his play or to another child he wants to try and engage with or purely for the fun of it!!) and the latest one today that is seriously driving me bonkers is copying Dori from Nemo film when she pretends she can speak whale!! If you have seen the film you will know how unbelievable irritating that is!!!

Am awaiting a call from SaLT to pick her brains

Will keep you posted!