Question
My two-year-old son almost never speaks, but he can understand simple commands. He is close to family at home, but does not fear strangers when outside. He likes to touch things around and sometimes looks at other children, occasionally smiling at younger ones, but he does not speak. I am worried if he might have a tendency towards autism.
Answer
It is normal for some children to speak late, especially if they can understand what adults say and occasionally make sounds or single words. There is no need to worry if there are no issues with their intelligence. Communicate more with your child and reduce the time they spend watching TV and using computers, as children nowadays spend too much time watching TV and communicating less, which could be one of the reasons for speaking late. The key is to communicate more. If you are really concerned, you can take your child to the hospital for a check-up.