Echolalia

The repetition or echoing of words, phrases, or sounds spoken by others, commonly observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and some other developmental conditions. Echolalia can be immediate (repeating something just heard) or delayed (repeating something heard earlier, sometimes hours or days later). While historically viewed as non-functional, research increasingly recognizes echolalia as a meaningful communication strategy that may serve various purposes including social interaction, self-regulation, and language learning. Understanding echolalia is important for designing accessible communication technologies that can recognize and build upon these speech patterns rather than treating them as errors.