echolalia

Echolalia is the repetition of vocalizations made by another person.

The word "echolalia" is derived from the Greek ἠχώ meaning "echo" or "to repeat",^[1] and λαλιά (laliá) meaning "babbling, meaningless talk"^[2] (of onomatopoeic origin from the verb λαλέω (laléo) meaning "to talk").

Associated conditions

Echolalia can be present in autism,^[3] Tourette syndrome, aphasia, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, developmental disability, schizophrenia, Asperger syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease and, occasionally, other forms of psychopathology. It is also frequently found in blind or visually impaired children, although most will outgrow this behavior. When done involuntarily, echolalia may be considered a tic.

It has been observed after cerebral infarction.^[4]

Presentation

Immediate echolalia causes the immediate repetition of a word or phrase. Some autistic people and people with Asperger syndrome may use repetition as a method of allowing themselves more time to process language.

A typical pediatric presentation of echolalia might be: a child is asked, "Do you want dinner?" the child echoes back "Do you want dinner?" followed by a pause and then a response, "Yes. What's for dinner?"^[5]

In delayed echolalia, a phrase is repeated after a delay, such as a person with autism who repeats TV commercials, favorite movie scripts, or parental reprimands.

References