"All Done"

[33 Daiseys]

I have a no talking rule while eating lunch. we listen to the radio, dance lunch, or listen to a story on cd. After we are done the "Main", we have a table talk during the fruit which for us is dessert. I find for some kids it is he only time they are taught the proper way to have a conversation

[bright sparks]

For this DCG she will stand and repeat exactly what is said in a conversation, both sides of it...without being part of the conversation. She doesn't have the full language to actually repeats it so when she doesn't know the words she almost hums them to mimic what is said. So if I am talking to my daughter beside us we essentially have an echo of everything said. If the tv is on (not that often here) she will sit and repeat everything said in the show...with a couple second time delay.

So, it's not repeating phrases she's been taught but actually parroting, or echoing everything she hears with a couple second time delay. I find it not only odd, but concerning. It is just odd.

I mean, I understand kids repeat what they hear and i's part of practicing but every book I hear has a complete echo of what is being said. It's like she isn't engaged in anything but is rather reflecting it all back, bouncing it back off herself.

It does actually sound a little "spectrum like"...maybe some kind of sensory/processing issue. Not indicative of autism as such unless clustered with other things, but likely something that will be picked up and identified at school. My parrot is very quick and copies the nearly 4 year old word for word some days. Fortunately it isn't constant so I'm not really concerned with him.

[playfelt]

I would reply but not acknowledge anything she said - ie not comment on the all done part . Just make a positive statement like "lunch isn't done until everyone has finished eating. Hopefully that also encourages her to eat more of what is in front of her she hasn't finished eating.

A agree that saying nothing is likely to encourage the repetition but pick a stock phrase to say back and hope she tires of the "game" too.

[Lee-Bee]

I would reply but not acknowledge anything she said - ie not comment on the all done part . Just make a positive statement like "lunch isn't done until everyone has finished eating. Hopefully that also encourages her to eat more of what is in front of her she hasn't finished eating.

A agree that saying nothing is likely to encourage the repetition but pick a stock phrase to say back and hope she tires of the "game" too.

I hadn't thought of responding but not responding to her exact words. Good idea.
She actually ends up eating a decent meal these days when she has nothing else to do but wait. She starts the "all done" immediately when the food served isn't what she wants (crackers) but by the end of the meal she will typically have tried everything and eaten a good amount of some of it. She is catered too at home but has learned (after well over a year) that crackers won't magically appear if she chooses not to eat. I've actually stopped serving crackers all together now, and only served homemade bread and muffins. She's started eating a more varied diet since the crackers completely disappeared, perhaps she realized there is no point in holding out till snack time!

I just don't get the feeling she is on the spectrum, despite having some characteristics. She is very socially aware, she is the over sensitive child. If my daughter is the slightest upset she will run to comfort her. I think she is just a tad slow on things and I think home is doing things "weird" so she is showing unusual characteristics. I could be wrong, but I have worked with children on the spectrum and this just doesn't feel right. Not that I have that much experience...that's why I asked my friend who has a lot of experience with autism and the spectrum. Time will tell I suppose.