Ethics & Law · patient case question
The child repeats phrases he hears without apparent communicative intent. This is:
Patient case: Behavior Management and Infection Control
demo: 11-year-old male with autism spectrum disorder
chief: Restorative appointment; parent is present in the operatory.
history: Autism spectrum disorder with repetitive echolalic speech. Plays competitive basketball. Class II Division 1 malocclusion with an overjet of 8 mm.
meds: None
findings: Frankl behavior rating 2 (negative). Parent and child are both to be gowned and masked during an aerosol-generating procedure.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Echolalia — a classic feature of autism spectrum disorder
- A. Anxiety may accompany autism but does not itself produce echolalia.
- B. Echolalia is developmentally normal in toddlers around age 2, not at 11.
- C. Correct. Repetitive or echolalic language is one of the recognized features of autism spectrum disorder, alongside restricted interests, sensory sensitivities, and difficulties with social reciprocity.
- D. Hearing impairment tends to reduce speech output and distort articulation rather than produce faithful repetition.