It seems that Alexis Nelson's book title, “Zooey Mama Special Like Me” is a way of showing how the daughter speaks. It is a very "childlike" way of speaking and thinking.
It shows the difficulty of the daughter.
So, when the sentence is used by others, it is self-referential or self-deprecating.
It suggests that we are "developmentally disabled".
Adults sometimes adopt this Baby-Like manner of speech to express themselves.
For example, I might say to my companion; "Me hungry!" or "Bruce Hungry".
Also, in the comedy movie, "Blazing Saddles" several of the characters voice lines in this same manner. Example: "Mongol says; "Mongol like Sherriff Bart!"
It imitates precisely the kind of developmental disability that author and mother,
Alexis Nelson refers to.
I might also say to adopt the same disabled communication style;
"Bruce like Junior. Junior Bruce's friend.."
It is a fact that people from English speaking countries often play games with their language. They will adopt any expression that they want to get a laugh.