Expert: Erin E. Maio-Harrison, MA,CCC-SLP - 9/21/2009

Question
My son who is 9 1/2 years old has started repeating the last word or part of the last word of a sentence.  So say he says "I went to the park" park will be repeated or he will say "ark, ark" after he says park first.  Do you have any ideas what this might be and is it permanent.
Thank you, Connie

Answer
Connie,
I get this question quite frequently and you might find a lively discussion of it on this site as it generates many replies.  Instead of explaining it, I think the comments from people who do it say it best:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt34341.html
http://asdgestalt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2%26t=1430

It doesn't seem to be a problem as long as it doesn't interfere with school or socialization, in fact it seems very soothing for some people. To do it does not mean your son is AS (Aspergers). Is it any less acceptable than biting nails, tapping fingers, twirling hair, humming, or anything of the many habits people have? I think not. We are all wired differently.  Some outgrow it, others modify it and some continue with it.

Erin E. Harrison, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech/Language Pathologist