<p>I know a kid that repeats the same word over and over sometimes in a sentence, and also does this when writing.</p>
<p>So, for instance, the sentence could be:
The dog chased the cat, or, I like to play in the snow.</p>
<p>But, they would end up being:
The dog chased chased chased the cat.
I like to play play play play in the snow.</p>
<p>Is this a speech disorder or something? I’m just curious.</p>
<p>Sounds like a “fluency” disorder…rather like “stuttering”. The writing component, however, is (to my knowledge) unusual. How old is this “kid”?</p>
<p>I know a child who “parroted”. If I said “Would you like a cookie?” , instead of replying with "yes’ or “no”, she would say “Would you like a cookie?” </p>
<p>No matter what I asked her she would repeat the question but not answer it although she clearly understood because she would go sit at the table and wait for the cookies to be served. She spoke this way to everyone including her family.</p>
<p>They eventually got her into Speech Therapy . It has made a huge difference. While it just comes naturally to most people, she had to be taught to make the proper response. She answers correctly now although her speech is somewhat stilted. She has to think about it to make the proper response. Speech Therapy did this child worlds of good.</p>
<p>Glad to hear it, PackMom. Back in the “day” when I got my degree (in speech/language pathology), that was called “echolalia”. I never personally ran into a case. I am so glad therapy helped this child…</p>
<p>In my prior life I taught deaf kids. I had a boy who was echolalic in sign language…bizarre.</p>
<p>9 years old.</p>
<p>Yeah, I would hope the parents of that child are going to have him evaluated (if they have not already) by a speech/language pathologist ASAP.</p>
<p>LOL, the child’s therapist did call it echolailia but I wasn’t sure how to spell it.
The child I know is 4 years old and academically bright (if you can say that about a 4 yr. old). We have noticed now that she has learned some “programmed” responses, she will sometimes anticipate what our (co-teachers) response will be and say it herself. This is a funny one…during lunchtime I said “Suzy Q, I like your new lunchbox” Suzy Q’s reply to me was “Did you get it from Target?”</p>
<p>I have a relative with that kind of stutter, in speaking though not in writing. He’s improved over the years (he’s into his 40s now). Sometimes he gets stuck on one word. </p>
<p>You might speak to a speech therapist about this. If the child is doing it in writing–that sounds like there’s something more there.</p>
<p>Oh I’m just a volunteer, not the parent or anything. These kids and their families used to be homeless. There’s another one that doesn’t pay attention to anything, spins around on the floor, looks past you when you talk to him or try to get him to cooperate, etc.</p>
<p>Someone should evaluate these kids for autism spectrum disorder.</p>
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<p>I agree. I am have only ever seen true echolalia in cases of Autism/Aspergers Syndrome and some brain injury/fetal alcohol cases. The inattentiveness, spinning, and avoidance of eye contact are also suggestive of autism spectrum disorders.</p>
<p>They need some further testing IMHO. Things like this have a neurological origin.</p>
<p>I don’t know that they were ever tested. Then again, I’m just a volunteer for the organization that helps the families. Some of these kids show up dirty, with dirty clothes and bad hygiene every time I volunteer, so I guess the parents don’t care even though they aren’t homeless anymore.</p>