Unusual 4-year-old children do not know how to speak

Children with speech delay are quite common nowadays and make many parents feel very worried. Because language can help children communicate, express their feelings and needs. The case of a 4-year-old child who cannot speak is not simply a delay in speech, but can also be caused by other health problems, such as hearing loss, developmental disorders or potential neurological problems. hidden.

The child's normal language development is shown in stages. Specifically:
Children from 3 to 6 months old can stare intently at the people around them talking or they can turn their heads in the direction of the noise. Babies between 6 and 9 months old can say two-syllable words like “mama, dada”... Children 9 to 12 months old can say “ê, a” longer into a single sound. Children between 12 and 18 months can use 4 words and pronounce them with rhythm, and can even connect two words together. 2-year-olds can name, say hello and know about 25 words. Children 2 to 3 years old talk a lot and know between 50 and 200 words, at this time they can talk on their own while playing. At this age children can create a phrase with a full subject component. Children from 3 to 4 years old begin to speak complex sentences, use language better, and at the same time control the intensity of their voice and intonation using language like adults. Speech delay makes children's language ability slower than normal children. Children with speech delay may be due to simple reasons, this is not too much of a concern. However, in some cases, a child's speech delay may be due to a hearing loss, a developmental disorder, or an underlying neurological problem.
Children with speech delay usually have 3 main types including:
Children with simple speech delay. Children are slow to speak due to defects in the brain during development. Children with speech delay due to muscle - mouth - tongue problems.

Children 4 years old still can't speak can be caused by the following reasons:
Physical causes: May stem from problems in the organs or organs in the body that are responsible for pronunciation such as ear, nose, throat, tongue, brain or brain-related diseases such as meningitis, birth defects... Psychological causes: It can happen when children are physically shocked or not supported. Caring family makes 4-year-old children talk less. When parents have identified the reason that a 4-year-old child cannot speak, it is necessary to actively promote the child's speech learning process in an age-appropriate manner. Because the brain develops fastest at 3 years old and then this rate slows down. For children who cannot speak after 6 years of age, treatment intervention is required, but the results obtained are quite limited.
Some other causes leading to the condition that a 4-year-old child cannot speak:
Factors related to the child's hearing: Maybe parents will be worried when the child encounters this situation, but if before the age of 5, it may be possible. Treating this condition with surgery will bring good results. However, if the worst happens, the child may not be able to hear and will need to use a hearing aid. The area of ​​the brain responsible for the child's language has a problem: If this is the case, it is necessary to take it to a doctor to examine it and take positive actions to help the child improve his or her speech. The diet does not guarantee nutrients, especially vitamins and trace minerals necessary for brain development. Moreover, the child's nutrition is not enough can cause the child to have poor appetite, poor absorption of nutrients... Autism : If the child unfortunately has autism, parents should not focus on speech when communicating but need to know how to approach children through games that enhance attention and help children imitate sounds and words.

Similar to other problems, the development of speech in children is done through innate ability and upbringing. Genes may be involved in early or late speech. However, these genes also depend a lot on the upbringing of the parents and the people around them.
Here are some ways to teach a 4-year-old child who can't speak yet:
Parents and relatives should spend more time talking with their children. Even if the child cannot say simple words or sentences, parents can speak to the child with body language, affectionate gestures, and love. These actions can also help improve a child's listening attitude. At the same time, parents should always talk to their children whenever and wherever possible. Parents should not imitate the child's language: Children learning to speak often pronounce incorrectly, sometimes they may stutter. Parents should not imitate the child's speech because that may cause the child to speak wrongly, slur a lot and gradually become a bad habit that is difficult to correct. Create an environment for your baby to interact with many people: Sometimes children can talk to their peers without using language. When children interact with many people, they will become bolder, more agile and without fear. Parents should always answer children: Although children may not yet communicate with language, when children communicate with attitudes, gestures, and body gestures, parents should answer children by solving those problems. for children. For example, when your child gives you an object, welcome it and encourage him to act.

A few notes parents should do for 4-year-old children who cannot speak:
Parents can help and teach children simple words first. It is best to use words related to everyday communication situations. In addition, parents should use more types of images and gestures so that children can communicate and learn to speak gradually. Besides, parents need to control their children's TV viewing time and help them form good habits. Parents can interact with experts to learn some of the best ways to improve their child's speech. Parents need to know the child's language development milestones. 4-year-old children are considered as a new stage of language development, their vocabulary is much more expanded, they can use difficult grammar and can understand 3 or 4 words in their sentences. Children will say long sentences of 3 or more words and develop vocabulary quickly. In summary, a 4-year-old child who is not yet able to speak can be due to simple but also to hearing abnormalities, developmental disorders, or underlying neurological problems. When parents have identified the reason that a 4-year-old child cannot speak, it is necessary to actively promote the child's speech learning process in an age-appropriate manner.
Psychological Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital is one of the leading specialized medical facilities for examination, counseling and outpatient treatment of psychological and mental health problems, in which language disorders in children. The clinic with modern and advanced equipment and facilities and a team of doctors and experts who are lecturers in psychiatry at Hanoi Medical University helps the examination and treatment results achieve the highest results.