Is It Normal for a 4-and-a-Half-Year-Old to Only Call Dad?

Question

Is it normal for a 4-and-a-half-year-old to only call Dad? As a parent, I am very worried and afraid that my child’s condition may worsen. I hope the doctor can answer my question.

Answer

If a child can say “Dad” and “Mom” without being deaf, it’s not considered abnormal. If they speak too little, it falls under language development delays. It’s necessary to go to the hospital to determine the level of language development (including language comprehension and expression levels), and to identify the reasons for not speaking. If their understanding ability matches their age, but their expressive ability is behind, consider developmental dysphasia (also known as “late talker”), which will gradually improve with age. If other reasons such as partial hearing loss, mental retardation, or autism are involved, intervention and treatment should be based on the cause.