What is echolalia in infants?

Echolalia in infants refers to the imitation of adult speech, which is a normal developmental milestone in language acquisition. During this stage, infants repeat words, phrases, or sounds they hear from adults or caregivers, often without fully understanding their meaning. This repetitive vocalization plays a crucial role in helping infants develop their communication skills as they learn to produce sounds and recognize patterns in language.

While infants do engage in babbling, which involves producing sounds without inherent meaning, echolalia specifically pertains to the replication of speech heard from others. This process not only helps in the formation of speech but also allows infants to connect with caregivers socially and encourages interaction, making it a significant aspect of early language development. Thus, this choice effectively captures what echolalia is and highlights its importance in the context of infant language development.