Why does my child repeat questions like a mirror?

[mantagtj]

My Child is a 'clever' 3 year old boy, his school only have him for an hour a day because they "cannot cope" with him and he upsets the other children mainly screaming because he cant get his way but I think he know he can "control" people like this, then when they are crying he says ha funny.  He doesn't want to sit down at story time and just wants to run around and play all the time, we find it difficult but not impossible to control, he wont sleep in any other bed except his moms (which i find typical of children put in parents bed of early age anyway) BUT the big thing besides him screaming is that WHENEVER you ask him a question he will repeat it without giving an answer i.e. what do you want "what do you want" , do you want a biscuit "do you want a biscuit" virtually EVERY question we ever asking gets turned around back on us, he is dare i say highly intelligent for a child in his class, knows all the colours, can count up to ten, knows up to G in the alphabet, we have sought help but they have put us on to CHILD HEARING SERVICES, which I find ridiculous as repeating a question perfectly like a parrot has very little to do with deafness I think.  It is starting to tear me and his mother apart (I start to say in tears), I am 36 year old male with acrophobia anyway and find things hard but it doesn't stop them going out socially dont get me wrong, just no one seems able to help. PLEASE can someone point us in the right direction?. We have a 9 month old child and we are so so worried this will rub off then we will have failed in parenthood.....

[Michelleraja]

My son is 23 years old, Diagnosed with asperger. He keeps repeating the  the same question over and over again. and always talk of negative things. He was sacked from school when he was 15 years as he hit the teacher. but a gentle hit, and now he keeps telling that he was sacked because he touched the teacher each day several times. and becomes violent. his command of language is very good and his memory is also very good. how can we cure him?

[mantagtj]

he doesn't always answer a question with the same question sometimes "whats this?" is answered with what it really is ie "its an apple" when it is, when he gets anxious he starts saying "what are you crying for?" before he starts crying meaning he is really getting anxious, he seems like a normal child 90% of the time but the screaming and the question with a question was worrying me he is definitely different to any other 3 year old i have known. it just hurts that he LOVES nursery so much that they cant cope with him, he will listen to people if he know they are boss but he pushes them (hence the cleverness lol). he will do things if pushed HARD but he still gives out little screams when he is doing it just to tell you he definitely doesn't like doing what he is doing!.

[specialmom]

I have a thought.  He sounds like he may have delay----  look up sensory itegration/processing disorder.  It is diagnosed by an occupational therapist.  You can do occupational therapy things even without a diagnosis or therapy as they are all like play.  They also help ALL kids.  

Here is my thought----  you say your son is smart.  Is there any chance he is doing this for attention?  I ask because my 4 year old will do this sometimes to drive me nuts.  It is selective when he does it and is starting to stop.  I don't react to it at all and do not repeat the question to him again.  I walk away.  He gets bored with it this way really fast.  He does not have a delay.  Ironically, my older son who is 5 does have the delay of sensory integration disorder but doesn't do this but once in a blue moon to get under my skin like his brother.  I ignore it.  

Speech can be affected with sensory integration disorder in two ways both involving motor planning.  First, articulation takes lots of motor control and you need motor planning for motor control (the messaging system that tells muscles what to do).  Second, to answer a question, the brain must organize its thought quickly to respond.  I was told my 5 year old just smiled or laughed when someone asked him a question at 3 because he had trouble processing a quick answer in response.  My son is extremely bright and always does better than his peers academically, by the way.  

Just more food for thought as you try to figure it all out.  Good luck.

[mantagtj]

He is in the UK we are going thru the channels but very very slowly by the time he is 21 they might just about get there that is why I am starting to ask questions myself. :D thanks for your information.

[wj74]

If he is repeating what you say back to you, that is called echolalia and it's a speech disorder commonly associated with autism. I would start with a speech/language therapist and you can also get him screened by the school district for other delays/problems. What state are you in? Maybe I can help point you to the right agency?