'Let me tell you, I see echolalia as being a part of my son's identity': Exploring echolalia as an expression of neurodiversity from a parental perspective.

This sub-study analysed only 8 parents from a larger interview programme of 133 parents, and these 8 were presented because they shared a counter-narrative, so the findings cannot be treated as representative of all parents or autistic people. Only parents responded, not legal guardians, caregivers, teachers, classroom assistants or disability support workers, so the paper does not capture other people who encounter echolalia. The 8 parents were all mothers; 6 lived in the United States and 2 in Australia, and no fathers were included. All 8 children described had autism, so these findings are about parents of autistic children. The study had no direct autistic community involvement, and the parents spoke about their children's echolalia rather than autistic people's own voices. The authors present the theme as a new perspective needing further research, not as evidence about intervention outcomes or efficacy.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The first author received an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

Do not read this as evidence that echolalia should never be treated or that intervention harms children. It reports the views of 8 parents selected from a larger interview study, not outcomes or tested effects.