Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent children often learn language differently than neurotypical children. More than 75% of autistic children are gestalt language processors (GLPs), meaning they learn language in chunks rather than in single words. These gestalt phrases often require understanding the context in which the child learned the phrase in order to understand their meaning. Gestalt language processors may exhibit echolalia, or repetition of words and phrases that they hear where the meaning is not immediately apparent to the listener.



