Question
My two-year-old child speaks unclearly, for example, calling ‘Daddy’ and ‘Mommy’ incorrectly. Although he understands what adults say and reacts well, he is not very articulate. This has been going on for some time now. We also took him for tests and everything came back normal. I’m worried that this might be a problem. I want to know if this is a normal phenomenon or if my child is deliberately not speaking? If the child’s responses were fine before, then there may not be much to worry about. It’s possible that the child is just seeking attention. The more you correct him, the more fun he might find it. Therefore, I suggest not to pay too much attention and not to overcorrect. You can lightly remind your child to speak clearly while acting as if you’re not too concerned about this behavior in front of adults. Carefully observe, and he may get bored and improve after a while. It seems like the child is going through a transitional period. My child used to speak clearly but now has a stutter. I’m slowly teaching him and he’s getting better now.
Answer
It is normal for a two-year-old to speak unclearly because they are learning language at this age. There are various reasons why they might not speak clearly, such as speaking too fast, not being focused, or having weak oral muscles. If you are concerned about your child’s language development, you can consult a pediatrician or a speech therapist. Typically, as children grow older, their speaking ability improves gradually. In the meantime, you can help them improve their language skills by talking with them, reading books, and singing to them.