[kenting886]

My 16yr old child has an intellectual impariment. She has characteristic of ASD although I have not taken her to be tested/diagnosed. She has mild speech dyspraxia. She has an imaginary friend that she talks to. When she talks back (as the imaginary friend) her speech is perfect. Should I be worried?

Originally Posted by kenting886

My 16yr old child has an intellectual impariment. She has characteristic of ASD although I have not taken her to be tested/diagnosed. She has mild speech dyspraxia. She has an imaginary friend that she talks to. When she talks back (as the imaginary friend) her speech is perfect. Should I be worried?

i don't know if you need to be worried per se but i would investigate this further. Why has she not been tested/diagnosed? People can shy away from labels but labels can help steer them to appropriate information and resources. Without knowing for sure what is going on, adequately addressing her needs is questionable.

i have a daughter with autism who is 20 years old. She has imaginary friends that do not interfere with her ability to function. i have viewed this issue as a benefit to her ability to work through her day as well as her ability to communicate. However, i've also consulted with her doctor to make sure there wasn't something further i should investigate.

What you're describing is a variation in skills that goes beyond what i've experienced. Regardless of cause or effect, the very fact you've questioned whether you should be worried is answer enough. You ARE worried and, therefore, you should seek additional professional assistance.

In light of the fact she has not been formally diagnosed, i would consider first discussing your concerns with your/her physician and then requesting a referral to a neurodevelopmental and/or neuropsych specialist. Hallucinations should be ruled out as well. They are not in and of themselves cause for alarm unless she experiences command hallucinations which could put her at risk.

Best wishes for you and yours.

Originally Posted by kenting886

My 16yr old child has an intellectual impariment. She has characteristic of ASD although I have not taken her to be tested/diagnosed. She has mild speech dyspraxia. She has an imaginary friend that she talks to. When she talks back (as the imaginary friend) her speech is perfect. Should I be worried?

(((kenting))) imo I would have it checked. My son at a certain age went threw a time where he heard voices. They even had names. There is something going on if her speech is perfect then. She may feel at ease then to talk and thats why the speech is perfect imo.

P.S. my son has PDD
never give up hope

[Callista]

It's not unknown for people with neurological speech impediments to be able to talk clearly sometimes and not at other times. Stuttering is a big example--while it's usually neurological in origin, it tends to get worse whenever there's stress involved. I highly doubt your daughter is doing this deliberately; rather, I think it means that there's a lot of untapped potential for her and her speech therapist to work with. If there are some conditions--like when she is talking to her imaginary friend (essentially, to herself) that trigger clear speech, maybe she can learn to trigger those conditions at other times too.