My Son Echolalia Scripting: need some answers and help

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He cannot be made to not think of these things. but will one day know not to mention them often or at length. One day you will see him just smile to himself like he thought of something amusing or pleasant but say nothing, and that will be a good sign.

I'd say to let him do it as much as he wants. If it's bothersome to others, others can move.

I don't know why he has to change for the comfort of others; it's just as right to say that others should change for him if one wants him to change for them.

I bet it's a lot harder for him to change than others too.

I would just like to point out that it is common in ASDs (particularly AS) to be good with language in the sense of having perfect grammar and a large vocabulary, but to still have trouble expressing oneself.
I sound like an encyclopedia when I talk, but when something is bothering me, I have trouble putting it into words.
This is where scripting can be useful.

I do this...not as much as you're talking about, mainly just when I am very stressed, and then it will be something that I really like and have seen a million times, like The Battle of Britain. It's really quite a talent to be able to memorize and recite things with accurate accent, inflection etc. In high school we had to memorize Chaucer Lines - it was like 50 lines of middle english poetry and we had to be able to pronounce it correctly, and got extra points for using the right inflection. Chaucer Lines was THE defining scholastic event for one's junior year. People started memorizing this months in advance with all these techniques, note cards, testing each other, tricks like "the meter fits with the Brady Bunch theme song", it totally took over their lives. My teacher gave me a cassette of someone reciting the lines, I listened to it 10 times the night before and recited the whole thing flawlessly for an A+.
There are other applications besides memorizing centuries-old poetry. I can also remember and recite word for word a previous conversation, and I have used this to remind my managers of things they said, eg, "you DID authorize me to do whatever. In fact your exact words were, 'blah blah blah'". (They sometimes find this disconcerting but it's quite useful for me)
I guess your situation is a little more extreme. It is probably a very relaxing and satisfying activity for him, but...spending all your time zoning out is not going to advance your life. For me anyway, the more I zone out, the more I want to keep zoning out, and the harder it is when I have to stop. If you think that he has the potential to develop more skills that will enhance his life if you cut down on his zoning out, then I think you should try it even if it will be hard and not a fun process for either of you. The tv scripting has an element of comforting, that's how it is for me anyway. So maybe part of the reason he does it so much is because the non-Thomas the Train world is so unpredictable and not comfortable, but maybe if you guys work on it, he'll find that he can handle more of the uncomfortable world than he anticipated. He probably has enough episodes memorized that removing the media won't reduce his ability to recite things. However I think just watching tv itself can have a "zoning" effect on the brain. When I watch a lot of tv, afterwards I sort of feel like I have to kick-start my brain to get it to do anything, and I would really rather not. It's similar to the way I feel after focusing on something else for a long time - like reading or making a model plane - but more grouchy. So maybe cutting back on the tv would be helpful. This is totally based on my own experience and not a professional opinion though.
Also, I have a sister with mega-ADHD who has not stopped talking I swear for 25 years. And it has driven me crazy on a number of occasions. I am someone who is encouraged to shut up - usually about a particular topic - on a regular basis, but I have learned from listening to my sister that sometimes it's a legitimate request. I recognize that there's only so much of my talking that a person can take. So, I think you've shown great understanding and don't feel bad if sometimes you're a little sick of hearing Thomas the Train. I hope things work out for you and Tristan...hope this was a little bit helpful or at least interesting.

Again, thanks for all the insights and thoughts. I want to say that I will never forcefully take away his Thomas the Trains that he adores. It gives him great comfort to play with them and talk about them to himself in great detail. I was hoping though that I could turn his love of T the Train into a penchant for electric trains where he could have a more "grown up" hobby that would be more socially acceptable and might find something in common with other traditional kids or even other kids on the spectrum. Of course I think I could more readily have something in common and play/work with him as well. Must tell you that scale electric trains (and all the model making that comes with it) is a great deal more intellectually stimulating (for me) than T the Train. But, that is my bias of course.

I just think that playing with toy wooden trains with people faces on them in public when one is a teenager makes is harder to socially integrate - to the extent that one wants to or tries to socially integrate with boys his age. He is in Boy Scouts as well, and though his troop is very accommodating - and understands Tristan's situation - it is very difficult (so far next to impossible) to get him to interact with the other boys who are understandably in to much more different things than "Thomas the Tank Engine." I realize Tristan may never be on this other level as they are. But, I also understand that autism is to a great extent just a very different way of thinking and perceiving - and reacting to - the world. Very different from the mainstream to be sure. I'm just trying, to help Tristan be able to survive in this world and play to his strengths. I see it as my job to help him find those strengths and beef them up - and be the best he can possibly be.

Allow him to be what he is.....and just love him.

Btw....I know you do

I have a fantastic 13 year old son who I adore. We are having difficulty with echolalia, though. He can, at times, keep "tv talking" to the point where he drives our family kind of crazy. We've always given him grace because of his Asperger's but sometimes it can be so disruptive. Not knowing what to do we've told him that if he can control it and only stim in his room instead of during family time then he can keep media. Otherwise, we've had him loose it for a day or two to help him take a break. I hate to come across as mean to him as I know that this is difficult for him, but I'm worried that if he doesn't learn how to control these urges and engage in them at appropriate times that he will have more problems as he ages. We've tried to help him see what is ok as far as his "tv" quoting goes--for example, we've said that in conversation it is ok to toss out 1 or 2 quotes but to go on for 10 minutes is excessive. We've told him that to go on like that is not OK unless he is alone in his room or with his aspie friends (they all do this! I want to help him so that he feels accepted but also understands how to respect other's wishes. Not having these urges myself I wonder if any of you can help me with suggestions to help him. We love him so much and have been his #1 advocate and fan. His dad and I just want to do the right thing in helping him with this issue. thank you for any advice you can give us.