Question
The child is two weeks old and still can’t speak, but he can hear others talking and understand what they say. There has been no treatment and no effect. I’m looking for help. I want to ask if there might be a problem.
Answer
Babies usually start to say words like ‘Dad’, ‘Mom’, ‘Grandpa’, ‘Grandma’ after they turn one year old. By the time they are two years old, they generally start to express what they want, including their own bathroom needs. It’s not necessarily a problem, as every child is different. Some children may inherit their parents’ ability to talk more, so they are more likely to respond. Some children may not like to talk much, but they understand what you mean. It is recommended to take the baby to the pediatric health check-up department for an assessment called the Growth and Development Index Test. This involves professional staff helping the baby with many games and tests to see if the baby has reached the testing criteria for a three-week-old baby.