Well, my youngest has got a new word that he is compelled to repeat compulsively.

[HecateQueenOfWitches]

and the word is

shit.

Great. Just great. My normal way of getting him to stop is to start saying the word or phrase over and over and over again myself. I have no idea why but for some reason it 'moves him on' So when I can stand no more "that's asda price" without ripping off my own ears and flushing them down the loo, I start saying it at him.

But he's got me with this one. I can't possibly go round chanting "shit" at him.

So he goes "shit. shit. shit. sh.." and I go DS. Stop." and he says "sorry shit. shit."

It's very tourettes like tbh. Mind you, he has tics, twitches and always a phrase or word that he repeats compulsively. Anyone else's child with autism like this?

phrases of music myself (adult hfa) usually from disny films over and over and over when stressed.

as for youer situation....

well any chance of getting him on a different word.

or a way of letting him know words like that are unacceptable

otherwise knuckle down sailer and start swearing

dd1 is starting to do this (more to wind me up, I think, rather than ocd/tourettes type tics - but itworks!)

was putting her in the car the other day and she started saying something suspicially like fuck

it was all I could do not to react - reacting usually means I'm stuck with it for weeks, but I was so close to turning into my mother

sympathy - can you try mutating it to ship or chip or chit, etc?

Well you can't chant "shit" back at him, but you could chant an inoffensive response and see if the repetitiveness of that moves him on in much the same way?

So, every time he says "shit" you reply "sugar", or, "ake mushrooms", or "Shakira Shakira Skhakira" or something.

Or just chant "shitake mushrooms" repetitively to move him on?

I know its not the same thing, but my dd (17 months) picked up the same word from dh. I tried ignoring it, but she seemed to like the way it felt to say it iyswim. So I though of another word that is satisfying to say in a similar way and every time she said it I said 'sixty' back at her. Now she walks round saying sixty all the time - annoying, but nowhere near as embarassing in public.

Ds1 has AS and he doesn't tend to repeat words he just mutters contintually under his breath or sings nonsense over and over again getting faster and faster. Drives me batty sometimes, especially if I'm trying to mn concentrate on something, but he doesn't even know he's doing it. If I point it out and ask him to stop, he apologises, stops for about two seconds and then starts all over again. He currently has a little song that he originally made up for his little sister, involving lots of 'baby, bebe, bubba, booboo' sounds repeated over and over (and over and over and over etc). I honestly think it might possibly be the most irritating thing I have ever heard. Strange thing is, he doesn't do it at school. I think it might be part of his comfort/wind down process from school to home iyswim.

will try the repeating of alternative words, thanks v much folks.

For some reason I quite like shitake mushrooms. Although probably not after hearing it 500 times!

I know what you mean about the wind down from school. Mine are just the same. I think school is very hard for them. They've got constant 1:1, they are being pushed and, well, controlled really, and they come home and it all comes spewing out. In fact, the TAs have now written into their timetables some gibbering time

Thanks again everyone.

I've been thinking about this from a child development point of view and was wondering if this is an important part of language development. I wonder if you should be reflecting his repeated words back to him all the time rather than when you get fed up?

It might help him to develop his concept of the word earlier and move on to another sooner anyway.

Just a thought.

I dunno. I'm all for the quickest solution. If saying 'shit' over and over to him moves him on the fastest I'd just do it tbh.

Write the SW name and phone number on business cards and hand them out for people to complain. It might get you some respite!

Interesting point though Al1son

hecate

I used to repeat back to DS2 but tbh I think it confirms his sense that he needs that word for comfort IYSWIM

Now, when he is saying any of his rote phrases I tend to get his attention and use words that are specific to reassurance, like 'Pagboy, you are fine, everything is OK'

He is still doing it but at least it is obvious to everyone including him that the words are an attempt to calm himself and control his anxiety.
Not sure that makes sense but I know what I mean

I completely sympathise. DS2 used to say "boobies" all the time, which led to a lot of faces when we were out and about. It did get worse before it got better and he doesn't do it as much now as what he used to. He now just does stimming noises instead with the occasional boobies thrown in for good measure.