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Autism/Progression of Asperger/Autism

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Expert: - 8/27/2007


Question
My step son has Autism and my step daughter has Asperger's.  I have noticed that my step daughter has starting chatting (echolalie).  I know that she is aware of what she is doing because when I ask her to stop she apologizes.  Is it possible that she may have more than Asperger's or is it possible that her Asperger's had progressed.

Answer
Hello there, Holly!

Echolalia is common in both Autism and Asperger's, as a matter of fact. Direct from Wikipedia: "Some other typical behaviors are echolalia, the repetition or echoing of verbal utterances made by another person, and palilalia, the repetition of one's own words."

Therefore, I would say that it's more a case of the Asperger's 'progressing', as you call it. It is quite common for, as children grow, various symptoms to come and go. This may well be one of them.

All the best,

Trey

Autism

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Trey McGowan

Expertise

My primary expertise is in the area of the social, psychological, and mental development of Aspergers Syndrome and other high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorders. I am also very knowledgeable in the communication disorders and common co-existing issues. I'm well-read on most of these as well as having experienced it myself. Other aspects of autism, I can do fairly well at as well, from the oversensitivity to the recognition of it. Warning: I am *not* a medical professional, and while I can research answers through books and online, I can not give direct medical expertise.

Experience

I am 19 years diagnosed Asperger's Autistic, and have been reading up and studying it, as well as taking 'first hand accounts' for most of those 14 years. In addition, I have had three children, adopted elsewhere, all of whom are varying degrees of autistic from mid to high functioning. My mother has done some research on the subject as well, and passed some of it on to me.

Education/Credentials
I have completed grade school and most of high school, and achieved a GED. I've also received home schooling.

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