My Child Repeats What I Say or What They Hear in TV Shows

Does your child often repeat back things you’ve just said or phrases they hear in TV shows? This behaviour, known as echolalia, is common in young children and can play a unique role in their language development. Let’s explore what echolalia is, how it might show up in your child’s communication, why it happens, and how you can support your child if they’re showing signs of echolalia.

What is Echolalia?

Echolalia is the repetition of phrases or words spoken by others. Children might echo words you’ve just said or even repeat phrases they hear on TV shows, movies, or during story time. It can be a typical part of language development in many children, especially in early years when they’re working out how to understand and produce language.

Echolalia can be immediate (repeating right away) or delayed (repeating things they heard hours, days, or even weeks later). Children may use echolalia to communicate, self-soothe, or practice new words and sentence structures.

How Echolalia Presents in Children

If your child is using echolalia, you might notice some of these patterns:

1. Immediate Repetition: They repeat a question or statement right after hearing it, for example:

   • You ask, “Would you like some juice?” and they respond, “Would you like some juice?”

2. Delayed Repetition: They repeat phrases from TV shows, books, or conversations long after hearing them. For instance:

   • You might hear them saying “Once upon a time” while playing alone, even though they heard the phrase during a bedtime story the previous night.

3. Verbal Play: They use repeated phrases during pretend play or in ways that might seem out of context. This can be a way for them to explore language sounds or even recreate enjoyable scenes.

   
   

Why Do Some Children Use Echolalia?

Echolalia serves as a language-learning tool for some children. It can help them process language by:

• Practicing Sentence Structure: Through repetition, they get familiar with how sentences are structured.

• Building Vocabulary: Repeating words allows them to add new words and phrases to their vocabulary in a way that feels manageable.

  
  

Learning Pragmatics: Some children repeat phrases as they work out the social rules of conversation, like knowing when to ask questions or answer them.

Children with echolalia may be using it to express their needs and emotions, especially if spontaneous language (saying things without a prompt) is still developing.

What Does Echolalia Mean for Communication?

Echolalia can show that your child is actively engaging in the process of learning how to communicate. Some children who use echolalia may also experience speech or language delays or may be neurodivergent. For these children, echolalia can sometimes be a primary way of engaging with language and expressing themselves, especially while they develop other language skills.

How Can Parents Support Their Child’s Echolalia?

Here are some tips for helping your child develop their communication skills while they go through this stage:

1. Model Simple Language: Try using clear, simple sentences that give your child a structure to follow. For example, if they repeat, “Want some juice?”, respond with, “Yes, I want some juice” or “Yes, please.” Modelling correct responses helps guide them towards using language independently.

2. Provide Visuals: Visual aids like picture cards, gestures, or other visuals can support your child in understanding what different phrases mean and when to use them. Visuals can help them connect their repeated words with actions, people, or places, making it easier for them to use language meaningfully.

3. Encourage Original Words: If your child repeats something, you might follow up with a question or prompt that encourages them to try something new. For example:

   • If they say, “Let’s go!” (repeating a phrase from a TV show), you might ask, “Where should we go?” or say, “Yes, let’s go to the park!”

4. Focus on Connection, Not Perfection: Allowing your child to echo what they hear without rushing to correct them encourages positive communication. By engaging with them warmly and showing interest, you help them feel comfortable as they experiment with language.

   
   

When to Seek Extra Support

While echolalia is often a natural phase in language development, it may be worth speaking to a speech pathologist if:

• Your child’s echolalia persists beyond age 3-5 without much spontaneous speech.

• They seem to rely on echolalia to communicate most of the time.

• You notice other delays in their speech, language, or social skills.

  
  
  
  

Speech pathologists can assess your child’s communication and offer tailored strategies to support their unique way of learning language.

Echolalia may seem puzzling, but it’s often a step in a child’s journey towards language mastery. By offering patient, positive guidance, you can support your child in understanding and using language in ways that feel natural and effective for them. Remember, each child’s path to communication is unique, and echolalia can be part of that journey, showing that they’re actively exploring the world of language in their way.

Remember to be kind and share joy!

-            Allanah (speech therapist)