How do I tell if my child is a gestalt language processor?

To assess whether your child is using delayed echolalia or scripting, watch for these signs of gestalt language processing:

• If they primarily use repeated phrases or scripts to communicate (such as lines from a favorite show or phrases they’ve heard), they might be using delayed echolalia.
• If you present an object and ask what it is, and your child responds with a phrase they’ve heard before (such as repeating a line from TV rather than labeling the object), they might be using scripts instead of generating original words.
• If they repeat phrases but don’t look to you for a response, they might be using delayed echolalia in a more self-directed way. Children might use repeated phrases without any context, such as repeating a line from a show just for fun or sensory stimulation, without trying to ask for something or engage with you.
• When a child does use a script or repeated phrase, are they using the phrase to request something, like asking for help or initiating a social interaction?
  If this sounds like your child, they may be a gestalt language processor. For more information, see our full article Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) 101.