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My 3-year-old daughter is unable to form complete sentences to communicate. Why?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I have a 3-year-old daughter. She is 25.35 lbs in weight and 2.92 feet in height. She can play, run and tell entire rhymes, but she cannot form her language to communicate. She often repeats the whole statement or questions. She can follow instructions like "bring that ball" or "give me the toy," but she cannot tell her desires by forming sentences. She can sing a song. She can speak 'a for apple' to 'z for zebra' and can count 1 to 30 correctly. She can distinguish between dogs, cats, lions, etc. She can tell me the sound of horse or lion, etc., but she cannot form her language. She can use only one or two words to say her needs, like 'drink water' or 'fell' instead of saying 'I want water' or 'Father fell.' Does she need any medical attention, or will it go away with time? I am unable to send her to play school in this pandemic situation. I think she is getting delayed by 5 to 6 months.

Please suggest and reply with the necessary steps to be taken at home.

Answered by Dr. Sudhakar Palanisamy

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sudhakar Palanisamy is a Pediatrician, skilled in newborn and child health care, growth and developmental assessment, immunization and vaccination programs, management of common pediatric illnesses, nutritional guidance, and adolescent health counseling. He is also experienced in neonatal care, preventive pediatrics, chronic disease management in children (such as asthma and allergies), and promoting overall child wellness through family-centered care.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

This is a prevalent query, and the answer is not simple. I have seen several children with this complaint, and most of them acquire normal speech as they grow. These children primarily interact with parents by hand signs. A more straightforward thing I say to parents is not responding to the child's non-verbal communication and encouraging her to ask things orally. Also, please interact with the child often and avoid screen time. If all these fail, then she needs speech therapy. Speech therapy will drastically improve her verbal communication. Take care. If you need any more suggestions, ask me.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sneha Kannan
Published At August 27, 2020
Reviewed At July 2, 2024

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sudhakar Palanisamy is a Pediatrician, skilled in newborn and child health care, growth and developmental assessment, immunization and vaccination programs, management of common pediatric illnesses, nutritional guidance, and adolescent health counseling. He is also experienced in neonatal care, preventive pediatrics, chronic disease management in children (such as asthma and allergies), and promoting overall child wellness through family-centered care.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sneha Kannan is a skilled Dental Surgeon with expertise in providing general dental care, including scaling, fillings, and preventive treatments. She does oral surgery procedures such as extractions and minor surgical interventions. She does procedures in restorative dentistry, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. She is an expert in doing endodontic treatments such as root canal therapy. She is well-versed in doing procedures in cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening and smile correction. She can provide pediatric dental care for children’s oral health and preventive treatments. She promotes oral hygiene awareness and preventive dental practices.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sudhakar Palanisamy is a Pediatrician, skilled in newborn and child health care, growth and developmental assessment, immunization and vaccination programs, management of common pediatric illnesses, nutritional guidance, and adolescent health counseling. He is also experienced in neonatal care, preventive pediatrics, chronic disease management in children (such as asthma and allergies), and promoting overall child wellness through family-centered care.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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