Does your child sometimes use phrases or long sentences he has heard from a movie? Do they use “movie scripts” when speaking or seem to echo phrases? Then, your child may be a gestalt language processor. Language is typically learned in two ways: analytic or gestalt.
Analytic language processors learn single words at a time and then put them together. It is as if they are using single lego pieces and then putting them together to make a tower. In comparison, gestalt language processors learn the entire phrase or the entire lego tower first, and then learn to separate the chunks into individual legos or meaningful units of language. Often gestalt language processors use echolalia in their speech. There are two types of echolalia; delayed echolalia and immediate echolalia.
Immediate echolalia occurs right after another speaker has spoken a comment or question. Delayed echolalia is when a word, phrase, or sometimes an entire length of a song or movie is repeated from a previous experience. Something to note, is yes echolalia is communication. Children use delayed echolalia for a variety of reasons either to communicate a shared experience, or to communicate a feeling they experienced when they heard the phrase or song the first time, or they have another hidden meaning.
What can I do at home?
At home, you can support your child by responding to their messages even if you have not yet figured out the meaning of their message yet. Acknowledge them! During play, use your child’s interests and model your own gestalts. For example, “I’m going up!” “Let’s race around the track,” or “Wow that’s fun!” Initially limit the number of questions you may ask, as your child may immediately respond back with the question or provided choices.
What about AAC?
If your child uses a speech generated communication device, or alternative augmentative communication (AAC) device, yes they can still be supported in much the same way. Model on your child’s device different phrases throughout a shared play experience.
If you want to learn more or have questions, please ask any of our NVPT Speech Therapy team and we would love to share more!
Blog by: Danika Stampel M.S., CCC-SLP
