Question
Is it normal for a child to not differentiate between front and back nasals when speaking?
Answer
The main manifestation of speech disorders is unclear articulation, which is relatively common in children. For example, a two-year-old might say “grandma” as “brain brain.” However, if a 4-year-old or even a school-aged child still can’t clearly pronounce sounds like “le,” “ge,” “ji,” “qi,” and “xi,” that is a problem. Laypeople generally refer to this as a “big tongue,” while in medical terms, it is known as dyspraxia of speech. In such cases, parents should take their child to the doctor promptly.