But's its not really him repeating what someone says unless you say 'say this' and then he would respond with 'say this' as well. If you ask him what is he suppose to say (different phrasing/wording), he'll answer with the correct response.
For example: (using the first term) He says "I want a snack", I say: "Say please may I when you want a snack", he would respond with "Say please may I when you want a snack"
(using the second term): He says "I want a snack", I say "Is that how we ask for something" OR "What do you say when you want something?" He would respond with "Please may I have a snack?"
Then there is the "I want", "I like", "Mommy!", "NO!" (usually with explosiveness), and I could go on and on with these... it depends on the day and what time it is it seems.
For example: "Honey, we have to get dressed for school." He responds with "I don't wanna go to school!", "I respond with, "Why don't you want to go to school?" or "You have to go to school honey. It's what the law says." (depends at what point we reach the second saying. Usually it's after about 10 minutes of him nagging at home). He will sit there the whole time we get dressed, put our shoes on, get into the car, and drive to school (about 30 minutes in total), of him just saying "I don't want to go to school!". He will just repeat it and repeat it and repeat it. I have tried numerous different "I understands" and acknowledgements, but he will continue on up until the point when he has to walk through the door.
Another example: (This one is nightly for about 1-2 hours). Whenever there is a commercial on TV, difficult child will say "I like that one!" and each time he says it, he seems to increase in volume. Doesn't matter if I acknowledge it or not. He will continue on and on and on.
Another example: I say, "It's time for dinner". He says "I don't want to eat!". I then usually tell him to sit down and try a little, and he will keep saying "I don't want to eat" (sometimes it's "I don't want dinner!"). I usually make him sit there until everyone finishes unless he starts throwing his plate or becoming too unruley. Of which then I say "You can either sit there and eat, or you can go to bed. Which will it be?" (I find that giving him the choice of one or the other will prompt him to sit quietly until everyone is done, and I try to use this technique through out the day because it gets me better results.)
I mean when he starts repeating the same phrase over and over again, it will drive you to the breaking point. It has to me many times. I usually have to walk away or set him in his room. And this is every day, throughout the day (evenings are the worst).
Overall, his behavior is improving with all of the therapies and work from me, and I now have difficult child 2 which is his younger brother. I'll start a different conversation on that one when I feel ready to. But they have basically switched rolls on who has the problem behavior. It just seems to never end. And when one is getting 'fixed' the other one starts having problems. Or something new comes into play. ~sigh~ It's going to be a long 21+ years...