A Child Who Repeats Over And Over

[WImom]

Thanks everyone. We've moved on to the snowman now (I had one of those plug in night light things in my bathroom that is a snowman and took it down yesterday). She noticed right away this morning and it seems we've moved on to that.....

I just remembered another example today. One time (probably two months ago) I said "sorry, my hands are cold" when I was helping her with her pants. Well she will say that almost every time I help her with her pants now (I don't help her too often so she's remembering that from the first time). She just gets fixated on one phrase or word or something. I think I'll just ignore or if it's something I can start a conversation with her on it I will. Today at lunch when she asked for more pineapple when I had just said to everyone that the pineapple is gone, I told her I'll tell her one last time but then I wasn't going to answer her anymore. 'The pineapple is all gone".
She is an only child so maybe it is for attention or just that she likes to talk.
She is pretty good with learning except she doesn't listen to directions sometimes when we are doing an activity and then is lost.
She is very good at small motor stuff (Shes my first one done getting ready for outside - can do it all (shoes, boots, mittens, etc) and can almost zip her jacket)

[nannyde]

It sounds like she's doing engagment to you. It's a pretty easy fix.

I've seen this before in kids who are so busy putting out that they don't take in. The best technique to get it to stop is to follow her term of engagement with a prompt.

She says "where's the reindeer" for the two hundredth time you say:
"you wash hands"
She repeats
you say "wash hands"
she repeats
you say "hands"

The way to do the prompt is to start with a small three word sentence and then size it down with every repeat.

When you get to the last prompt "hands" you say the word sharply with a fix on the constanants like "hanzzzzzzzz"

She needs the three de-esculating sentences to reroute her brain onto the next thing.

She says "I'm done"
You say "wait a minute"
She says "I'm done"
you say "a minute"
she says "I'm done"
you say "minute" MIN... UTTTTTT

Like that

Only give her three prompts and then move on.

As time goes on use the same voice and do two prompts

Then one....

[e.j.]

http://littlechildren.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/echolalia/

http://teachmetotalk.com/2008/06/01/echolaliawhat-it-is-and-what-it-means/

These links explain echolalia; I thought it might help explain what's happening with this little girl.

[Hunni Bee]

It sounds like she's doing engagment to you. It's a pretty easy fix.

I've seen this before in kids who are so busy putting out that they don't take in. The best technique to get it to stop is to follow her term of engagement with a prompt.

Does that work with THE STORIES too?

Everybody knows what THE STORIES are...the stories that start "Ms. _____, I have that at my house and we........." and go on for 5-10 minutes? I get that at Story Time mostly, we get to a page and it sparks a STORY in everyone AT THE SAME TIME. A lot of times, I just close the book and let them talk ...but if I say, okay, one more story and let's go back to the book, it seems they cannot hear me or stop talking...?

[Unregistered]

http://littlechildren.wordpress.com/.../08/echolalia/

http://teachmetotalk.com/2008/06/01/echolaliawhat-it-is-and-what-it-means/

These links explain echolalia; I thought it might help explain what's happening with this little girl.

It sounds a lot like echolalia to me too. How is her overall language otherwise? Does she have a lot of spontaneous language? Does she understand language?

[QualiTcare]

It sounds a lot like echolalia to me too. How is her overall language otherwise? Does she have a lot of spontaneous language? Does she understand language?

i thought for a brief moment this might be what it is, but after the OP said she's pretty much on-track developmentally otherwise - i dismissed it.

i did click on the link provided by a previous poster, and this is what it says:

"Addendum: don’t confuse echolalia with your toddler’s initiating conversation by asking a well-known question. Echolalia is responding to your question with the same question. Toddlers love to get your attention by asking you a question you would normally ask, like “What’s this?” or “What color?” This is not echolalia. It is simply their way of engaging you, as in, “Hey Mommy, I want to talk to you.”

she's asking questions that she knows the answer to. the provider isn't saying, "where's the reindeer?"

i think ALL toddlers repeat things to some extent. example:

Riley: "Where Daddy? Where Daddy? Where Daddy go, Mommy? Mommy? Where Daddy go?"
Me: "He's in the shower right now, sweetie."
Riley: "Daddy takea shower? Daddy inna shower?"
Me: "Yes, he's in the shower."
Riley: "Daddy get all clean? All clean, Mommy? Daddy get all clean, Mommy?"
Me: "Yes, Daddy's getting all clean."
Riley: "All clean, Mommy? Daddy get all clean? Daddy get all clean, Mommy?"
Me: "YES. I mean, yes."
Riley: "Mommy?"
Me: "Yes?"
Riley: "Mommy? Mommy?"
Me: "OHMIGOD -- er, yes, sweetie?"
Riley: "Daddy get all clean, Mommy."
Me: "Yep! Hey, what's that on the floor?" *runs away*

Does your kid do this too? Hmm? Does your kid do this too?

but 3 years old is a bit old for this behavior. i hate to jump to assumptions like echolalia (which is usually an assumption of autism) when it may just be, without other signs being present, that the kid needs attention.

[SilverSabre25]

I ditto QualiT that it doesn't really sound like echolalia. Some toddlers/ preschoolers like to ask questions they already know the answer to, because it reassures them to hear that the answer is the same time and time again. It's similar to testing a limit/boundary JUST to experience the sense of comfort that comes from finding out that yes, the rules are still the same today/this hour/for the thirteenth time this minute.

My very bright 3 yo does this a lot...and some of her topics go WAY back. She seems to have a very good, very sharp memory and we go over and over things. Sometimes, she is just remembering that an object was around or that something happened, and wants to talk about it. I often deal with it by answering the initial question ("I put the reindeer away with the Christmas stuff") and then ask her something else about the subject--("Christmas time sure was fun. What else do you remember?") or I will say something like, "I don't know...where do you think the reindeer is?" or "I've already told you that today; do you remember what I told you?"

Something like bugging you about being done when you already responded earns my DD a sharp reminder that I'll get there when I get there and not a moment before...and don't you say it again!

And if you don't feel like discussing the reindeer (or whatever) for the 15th time that day (or 3rd, or even 1st) there's nothing wrong with telling her that "We're not talking about that right now--go play toys" or whatever. You're not being mean, you're saving your sanity!

[Unregistered]

She is pretty good with learning except she doesn't listen to directions sometimes when we are doing an activity and then is lost.

Maybe she isn't understanding? It sound like echolalia to me.... she is going to be 3 next month... her repeating days should be behind her. The only children I've ever had at this age that were still echoing have been language or developmentally delayed children. I just think it is something more, especially how you said she gets fixated with things... like the christmas stuff.... this isn't typical.

[Autismworld]

Maybe she isn't understanding? It sound like echolalia to me.... she is going to be 3 next month... her repeating days should be behind her. The only children I've ever had at this age that were still echoing have been language or developmentally delayed children. I just think it is something more, especially how you said she gets fixated with things... like the christmas stuff.... this isn't typical.

Sounds like echolalia to me too and I agree, at 3 she should be beyond this. How is her spontaneous language? How is she socially? Is her play typical? Imaginative?