Question
What should be done if a child does not start speaking at 2 weeks of age and does not respond to being called, although there is no problem with hearing? The help desired is: What kind of treatment can be given?
Answer
It is normal for a child not to start speaking at 2 weeks old, and parents should not worry too much. Parents can teach their child to make sounds and try to use Mandarin when speaking to encourage language development. It is also beneficial for the child to interact with other children. If there is concern that the child’s tongue-tie may be too short to affect speech, a doctor can be consulted for a check-up and necessary treatment. Additionally, a head CT scan can be performed to understand the child’s brain development. If everything is normal, language development can be promoted through postnatal training.