We are trying to make Pookie more aware of his echolalia.  From what we have read, many people just learn when to control it and when to let it fly.  It never really goes away, for some people.  Plus, if he is going to survive in regular kindergarten next year (meaning, not get kicked out by the teacher) he needs to sit quietly at times.

But sometimes he is in full blown echo mode and nothing will stop him.  He has a script he needs to get through before he can stop.  Or get through a dozen times, or a hundred times.  Other times we can convince him that it is time for quiet.  At those times, its usually because he understands the consequences.  For example, we will not read stories while he echoes another story, hums or sings.  We will not watch TV while he does it, if he needs to hum/sing/echo he has to leave the room.  TV or echo.  That’s the choice.

Tonite at bedtime, he sat quietly through “Welcome to Blues Clues- a lift the flap book” and “Guess How Much I Love You.”  When they were done, I if he wanted to show Daddy how much he loves him (from the book).  He said “No, I need some humming.”

We could not argue with that.  Sometimes he does need humming.  Its part of who he is.  He is learning to handle it, to manage it.  But that means finding time to do it too, not just time not to do it.  Everyday he teaches us a little bit more about how his mind works.