Question

My baby was born with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and was premature by 35 days. Although the growth and development are generally normal, the baby still cannot speak and can only make sounds like ‘Dad’ and ‘Mom’. Sometimes, the baby cannot understand adult instructions, loves to suck their fingers, and the parents are worried whether language training is necessary.

Answer

Based on the baby’s growth process, their development is generally normal. The parents’ expectations for their child may be too high, leading to unnecessary anxiety. Every child’s language development pace is different, and some children may start speaking later. Here are some measures parents can take:

  1. Use various methods to teach the baby to pronounce and speak, and be patient, as the baby’s development takes time.
  2. Maintain good living and dietary habits, ensure adequate sleep, avoid overfeeding, and appropriately take the baby outdoors for activities to promote growth and strengthen the physique.
  3. Provide mild food, encourage plenty of water intake, and ensure the baby receives the necessary nutrition; consume more fruits and vegetables in juice form and avoid extremely cold foods.
  4. Seek advice and assistance from a professional speech therapist to develop an appropriate training plan. Parents should not be overly concerned. Many children go through this stage, and proper guidance and training usually help.