I just got a copy of the dr's notes on our last neurology appointment. I needed this for the school for their records (for diagnosis). In one part of the notes it says "He does have stereotypies with spinning and flapping. He has better eye contact these days and is very social, but he tends to have very empty speech at times. he is very verbal."
Now what exactly is empty speech?
Also the neurologist noted that he reccomends we see our regular doctor to talk about treatment for ADHD. It common for kids with pdd-nos or other similar diagnoses to also be diagnoses with ADHD or is this a confusion of their autism like symptoms?
It is common for ADHD to coexist in children with ASDs.To me it sounds like empty speech but very verbal would mean he talks alot and good vocabulary but talks alot of nonsensce that dont really mean much or apply to the situation? Thats just my take on it anyway. My son does this alot and he has a very big vocabulary. Im sure someone with a better explanation will come along soon!
I know adhd can co-exist but I also know that alot of autism symptoms can mimick as well, so I dont know? Id ask his doctor specifically what he means. Sorry I wasnt much help!
Is he sure they have nothing to do with what's going on, though?
I agree gtto, I've noticed my son will associate certain words with certain situations, It tends to be almost always inappropriate though. I'm thinking Hot dogs means something to your son, maybe it was someone walking through a door, He may associate the 2 for some reason that you are not aware of.
My boys have little phrases that they use also, sometimes it takes me weeks to figure out what they are saying and why, its usually is a light bulb moment for me, and i say "OH" thats where you got that from.
I haven't heard that expression before, but here's a blurb from another mom whose child's speech therapist used that term: "He will also pick up sayings that we say at certain times, like when dressing him, "arm in" and "stand up" he now copies them and will say them everytime i dress him but not at the right time so im pretty sure he doesnt say these things with any meaning (empty speech the speech therapist called it)."
However, I agree with gtto that "empty speech" -- or scripting or delayed echolalia, whatever you want to call it -- is quite likely purposeful, meaningful behavior, even if it seems random or "off the wall" at first glance. We just have to learn how to translate, while they learn how to communicate more conventionally.
This article gives a chart with examples of how to translate, and lists the various interactive (social) and noninteractive (nonsocial) functions of delayed echolalia.
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/communication/echolalidelay .html
Good luck with everything.
Norwaymom! That link is my child to a T! I printed it out to share with his teacher.My dd does this too: she'll say "I cold" which means she is scared or[QUOTE=gtto]Is he sure they have nothing to do with what's going on, though?
Sometimes things like that do, and sometimes things like that don't.
One thing autistic people frequently have is very unusual use of language.
Like I used to say "dog" whenever I was startled and frightened, because my brother barked like a dog at me once and startled and frightened me. Or I'd say "He gave me the dog" meaning "He startled me."
That sounds out of context, but it's not.
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Wow this really got me thinking. My son calls macaroni and cheese (one of the VERY few foods he will eat and only frozen variety, one brand)... he calls it "hot". Not macaroni and cheese. Probably because when Id give it to him id always say "be careful, its hot". So now he calls it "hot". "Mommy will you make me some hot". I dont think twice when he says it anymore but other people are always so confused. There are other things he does this for also but thsi is the one he does the most often.
His words often dont have alot to do with whats going on at the moment..but they do mean something. Like we can be talking about something, lets say baseball. Mid conversation he will just out of nowhere like pick up a conversation we had days before from where we left off.. its hard to explain but he does it all the time. But I dont really think thats "empty" speech because he knows what hes talking about, it just may not be the "right" time to talk about it.
When Tom is upset at something he says "Oh no, we gotta go through it!" from "We're going on a Bear Hunt."