Question
My child is already 29 months old but still can’t speak, only saying words like ‘Dad’, ‘Dou Dou’, ‘Dandan’, and occasionally ‘Mom’. He can understand what we say and express his meaning through finger pointing or body movements. We took him to a local hospital for a trace element check and found that he is deficient in calcium, so we have been giving him calcium supplements but no other checks have been done. We want to know what checks should be done to find out why the child cannot speak, and how can we help him start speaking?
Answer
It is normal for a two-year-old to only be able to say titles, but the calcium deficiency issue needs to be addressed, but cannot rely on supplements long-term and also needs to strengthen nutrition. It is recommended to check for tongue tie issues, if present, treatment is needed. Additionally, boys usually have slower language development, parents should teach children to speak more and continue to observe. I hope these suggestions can help you, and wish you and your baby health!