Is the difference terribly important? Only to punish it I would think, right? Everything that your child does, including back talk, is giving you more information to understand them with. Relax, and listen, and you will know the difference. Sometimes back talk is telling you that YOU are off in the ditch somewhere.

In our lives we've certainly found that, as much as we'd like to believe that we're the grownups and know best, our son is the autism expert.

Nearly all of these issues disappeared when we started seeing them as communication, whether or not it was traditional...

My son told his Dad to "sit" the other day. He was not trying to be disrespectful and put his Dad in a time-out, I believe it was his way of expressing how he was feeling which was frustration at his Dads reaction. (His Dad was irritated and our son does not like that feeling coming to him.)

I gently reminded him, "I feel frustrated." Most times the kids really just need help using the right words. They do not understand the weight of words yet in the same way we do, they are still learning expressions and feelings along with the language.

When he looks frustrated or angry I will say, "You look mad." or "You look frustrated." to see if that is how he feels and try to help him put words to his emotions. Emotions is not a concrete subject so Autistic kids are a little lost on that one and need extra help to figure out the concepts.

Mad is different in different situations. I am mad you crossed the street without me = mad = scared. I am mad you did not wait for me = mad = felt alone and confused. I am mad you did not do your home work = mad = now we can't watch the show I was wanting to watch so we both suffer = mad.

Just keep helping your child to use words for feelings. If words do not work - many folks find that chart with the different faces a good tool for kids to point at to try to determine from the face how they are feeling inside. Best to you!

@All-although echolalia seems to bother some people when special needs children repeat everything, but honestly, after an hour of this, I find myself trying to understand and be patient. If I had a dollar for every time my 13 year old twin granddaughter still talks about Pediasure, I would be rich. Can you imagine how long ago it was that she was drinking Pediasure for failure to thrive.....but that is our life.

Could be either. Does your son have echolalia in general (and repeat other things as well)? If so, then probably echolalia. If our son had done that last year, I would have said it was definitely echolalia as he had immediate echolalia. But his echolalia is gone now, so if he does that now, it is really back talk (and he does sometimes talk back saying, "No, I will put you in a time-out!")

Sounds like echolalia to me, my daughter displays severe echolalia. She has been able to use phrases and words she has learned and apply them to similar circumstances in her world but it's hard to discipline her about what she says since most of what she says is something she's heard, down to the exact tone she heard it in. I encouraged her to watch certain educational videos or shows that cater to behaviors I want her to learn or differentiate between. For example, Bedtime with Frances I found on Netflix has helped her learn things I have been trying to teach her, such as brushing her teeth. It was a huge battle but now since watching Frances about 10 times she wants to brush her teeth all the time and even sings the same song Frances sings.