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Echolalia is the automatic repetition of vocalizations made by another person. It is closely related to echopraxia, the automatic repetition of movements made by another person.
The word "echolalia" is derived from the Greek ἠχώ, meaning "echo" or "to repeat", and λαλιά (laliá) meaning "babbling, meaningless talk" (of onomatopoeic origin, from the verb λαλέω (laléo), meaning "to talk").
Echolalia occurs during human child development, with babies producing vowels, some consonants and echolalia between 6 to 9 months of age. It can also describe a speech disorder in humans with developmental disabilities. The phrase can also be used as a pejorative to describe uncritical repetition of ideas and beliefs.
Associated conditions
Echolalia can be present in autism and other developmental disabilities, Tourette syndrome, aphasia, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, schizophrenia, Asperger syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and, occasionally, other forms of psychopathology including catatonic subtype in schizophrenia. It is also frequently found in blind or visually impaired children, although most will outgrow this behavior. When involuntary, echolalia may be considered a tic.
It has been observed after cerebral infarction (stroke).
Presentation
Immediate echolalia causes the immediate repetition of a word or phrase.
A typical pediatric presentation of echolalia might be as follows: 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?"
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.