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Effective means and methods that help the child to speak early.. good listening. Breastfeeding. Stay away from TV and mobile phone. The mother's conversation with him

Effective means and methods that help the child to speak early:

If you have a young child of months old and you want to help your child speak well and prevent your child's delay in speaking as well as improve the child's linguistic outcome, there are many methods that can help you with that, including the following:

The mother must make sure that the child hears well from birth, and the child’s hearing can be measured from birth in order to make sure that the child does not suffer from any hearing problem, and audiometry has now become a necessary, very available, well-known and widespread matter, as it has become one of the most important examinations that are carried out for the child in The first days of his birth, and this is considered one of the most important positive things due to its great importance in knowing if the child has been suffering from a hearing problem since birth and needs special treatment and presentation to the specialist doctor, or is this child normal and does not need that.
When the child reaches the age of six months, it is necessary to make sure that the child understands well. This can be seen when the child gets to know his mother and calms down when he sees her. He gets angry when she is away from him for long periods.
One of the most important means that helps your child to speak is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding improves brain development, improves the child’s mental abilities, and works to strengthen the muscles of the mouth and jaw, and thus helps the child to speak early and not be late in speaking. Breastfeeding is the (liquid gold) that Its importance to the child cannot be limited, so every mother must be very careful about breastfeeding and not deprive her child of the benefits it gives to her child.
It is recommended that the child talk to her infant since birth, as the child’s brain in this age period is like a computer and can record everything he listens to, so the mother must talk to him a lot in order to listen to the language frequently and properly, and the mother must be keen to speak in words It is understandable and clear, as if she is talking to an adult, so that the child can store those linguistically correct words and be able to repeat them after that, and call the things around them by their true names, because the child at that time stores everything he listens to.
The mother must tell her child some stories, which is very important for the children because it makes the child get used to hearing a lot, which helps to increase his linguistic attainment.
When talking to the child, the mother must talk to him as an adult with correct letters and correct sentences, and never resort to using some children's words, so that the child can hear well and repeat the words correctly.
For children of nine months or more, when speaking to them, they must use a sentence consisting of more than one word, not just one word, so that the child can link words to each other and increase his linguistic output.
Keep your child completely away from television, especially children's channels, in addition to not watching mobile phones, as television and mobile phones are considered a negative environment that does not stimulate speech. Those who watch television before the age of two years are exposed to a delay in speech, in addition to that their mental abilities are affected and are less than children who have been removed from watching television and telephones, so we find that the American Academy of Pediatrics issued recommendations that children who have not reached the age of two years are completely prohibited from exposure To watch TV or mobile in any way.

Speech development in children:

The child from the age of three months begins to make some sounds.
At the age of six months, the child begins to laugh and smile.
At the age of nine months, the child begins to pronounce the first words, and these words are usually short and easy, such as Papa or Mama, but the child does not understand the meaning of speech at that time.
When the child reaches his first year, he can utter short words, but the child at that time realizes the meaning of the words and intends them.
When the child reaches one year and six months, the child’s word count increases and may reach ten short words. If the child reaches this age and does not utter at least one word here, he must be presented to the pediatrician for examination.
At the age of two years, the child can utter a sentence of two words while realizing its meaning, such as (I am hungry, Daddy is gone).
At the age of three years, the child's linguistic output increases dramatically, perhaps up to two hundred words, and here the child can utter a sentence of three words or more.
At the age of four years, the child's linguistic outcome develops, and at this time the child can respond to questions well. If there is an impact on the child's letter exits at this time, or the child's linguistic outcome is weak, or the child suffers from pronouncing words here, the child should be presented to a speech-speech specialist.

Diagnosis of speech delay in children:

In the past, there was no knowledge of this progress, and speech delay in children was not a clear disease that could be diagnosed or treated. Nowadays, speech delay has many clear aspects, and we can diagnose speech delay in children, as there are a group of signs that cause concern and appear. In children at an early age, through which it is possible to know whether or not this child has a real problem and is really behind the rest of his peers in the same age year, and if it is already clear that the child suffers from a speech delay, he must be presented to the specialist doctor to follow the proper treatment steps, which Help him pronounce properly.

The development of the child's ability to speak:

A child's ability to speak develops through different stages, as follows:

From birth to 6 months of age:

During this period, the child can hear the sounds around him, and he can make some incomprehensible sounds, in addition to relying on crying to express hunger or pain, and as he grows older, the child begins to try to speak and pronounce some letters.

- From 7 months to 12 months:

During this period, the child can put some letters together to pronounce some simple words, which he learns from the people around him.

- From the age of 12 months to 24 months:

The child becomes able to speak, but with some difficulties in pronouncing and arranging sentences and phrases. The child can also use his hands to express what he wants to say.

From 2 to 3 years old:

The child becomes able to carry on simple conversations with those around him, to start asking questions and inquiries regarding many things that attract his attention.

- From 3 years to 8 years:

During these age stages, the child can speak in a more accurate manner. During these stages, the child receives his basic education in the nursery and school, and thus his ability to speak increases, and he gradually gets rid of the problem of stuttering.

The role of the mother in helping her child to speak:

A mother can teach her child to speak by following the following tips:

Talking to the child while changing his clothes or feeding him, and clarifying what you are doing while trying to use correct words; This is because the child is trying to imitate what he hears from it.
Smiling in the child's face, addressing him constantly, asking him what he wants, and not relying solely on hand-pointing.
Try to understand what the child wants to say in a spontaneous way, and read some stories out loud.

The problem of delayed speech in children:

The ability of the child to speak can be ascertained through some routine examinations, as there are some children who suffer from a problem in pronouncing some words well, while some suffer from the problem of delayed speech as a whole, and one of the most important signs indicating the delay in speech in children is the child’s lack of response to some stimuli Like sounds, or taking a long time at that.

Reasons for delayed speech in children:

The reasons for speech delay are many, including the following:

Having some problems in the mouth, such as the tongue or jaw.
Some hearing problems limit a child's ability to speak.

Difficulty speaking in children:

Speech difficulty is normal for children between the ages of two and five years, as it is known as developmental stuttering, and it is normal when they start learning to speak and to form words in sentences, and it may last for several weeks or a year, but it can be overcome without any therapeutic intervention. It constitutes a satisfactory condition for some if it continues, and in this case it is known as a disorder in rhetorical expression, which takes several forms, namely: repeating the syllable, especially its first, or repeating the same sound, or prolonging the speech, or deleting some verbal sounds, in addition to To add some sounds to speech, and in this article we will introduce you to the causes of this type of difficulty in pronunciation, and its symptoms.

Symptoms of difficulty speaking:

Stress, anxiety.
Speak quickly to avoid stuttering.
Eye movement disorder.
Struggle in the facial muscles when pronouncing.
High pitch of the voice when repeating the pronunciation, and the vocal tension.
Make an effort to speak.
Evading speech or pronouncing some words to avoid stuttering.

Reasons why a child has difficulty speaking:

heredity.
Other problems with speech or language.
Neurophysiology, where speech and pronunciation develop in some children in different areas of the brain than the normal areas of children without stuttering.
Family problems, fast lifestyle.
Psychological or neurological disorders.
A defect in speech receivers, articulation devices, or speech analysis devices, which leads to stuttering in speech, and delays in feedback information.

Speech disorders:

Speech delay is one of the most common developmental problems in children. Although about 15% of two-year-olds are delayed, by the age of four, 70% will have met it. However, it is important to remain attentive to help your child with his learning, and to spot the most significant disorders.

The difference between delay and poor speech:

Speech delay is a shift from the normal developmental curve of a child between 2 and 5 years old. We talk about language delay when a child has difficulty learning new words or even forming complete sentences that are appropriate for his age. However, it is important to remember that the so-called “normal” curve can It varies from child to child, gender and background.

Speech disorder is a delay that persists in children after the age of 5. This disorder can present in different ways, articulation difficulties that prevent the correct pronunciation of certain sounds, or dysarthria that results in difficulties in understanding language or even stuttering.

When should we worry and what are the signs?

A child between the ages of 18 months and 3 years who does not express himself well is always perfectly normal as he is learning. However, it is important to listen for some of the signs that your child may need professional help. This list is not exhaustive, but it can guide you in your analysis.

From birth to 12 months:

By paying attention to his reactions to the environment, it is possible to detect certain signs when your child is just a baby. Consider seeing a doctor if your child:

It does not interact with surrounding noise.
He doesn't smile or grin a little.
He doesn't like to be hugged.

From 12 to 24 months:

During this period, the child wakes up to the language and pronounces his first words. The vocabulary of about 18 months is about 50 words:

Doesn't make a variety of sounds.
He does not recognize his own name and does not say "dad" or "mom".
Does not understand simple routine instructions.
He does not try to repeat what he hears.
Pays close attention to a particular sound or game, regardless of others.

From two to two and a half years:

By this age, your child should be able to say between 50 and 100 words. In addition, he must say new words every day:

He says few clear words.
Only understands routine words like shower, sleep.
Does not imitate animal sounds.

From 2 and a half to 3 years:

Around this age, children become aware of language development:

He does not understand the questions that he should choose. For example, do you want to go to the park or play at home.
Does not understand the question "What is this?".
Does not understand simple everyday instructions.
Doesn't try to associate words with pictures or things around him.

From 3 to 4 years:

By the age of three, your child should be organizing his sentences better and better:

He didn't seem to understand simple questions.
Doesn't understand basic concepts like "up/down" or "small/big".
He rarely says 3-word sentences.
Repeat the question asked instead of answering it.

4 to 5 years:

By the age of four your child understands almost everything that is said to him and follows directions that involve more than one action and is able to engage in long conversations:

Has difficulty naming and recognizing colours.
They find it difficult to answer open-ended questions that prompt them to develop an answer.
He has difficulty carrying on a conversation.
Has difficulty understanding spatial prepositions such as 'up/down'.

How to help your child learn his language:

Speak slowly so that he can understand all the words in your sentences.
When correcting your child, slowly rephrase the syllable, emphasizing a difficult word.
Put him in regular contact with other children his age.
Name and describe the things he points to.

Finally, if you are concerned about your child's language development, don't hesitate to consult your pediatrician or speech therapist. Both will help your child overcome these challenges so he can thrive.

Slowing language development in children:

Researchers from Enserem and the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS) discovered that permanently leaving the TV on during meals slows down language development in children.

Children ages 3 to 6 spend nearly two hours a day in front of screens. However, by following more than 1,500 children aged 2 to 5 years for several years, researchers from Enserm and the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS) discovered that this time is almost always spent in front of screens, more precisely in front of a television set, which Played during family meals, key moments in verbal exchange between adults and children, has an impact on language acquisition.

To measure these times and contexts of screen use, questionnaires were completed by parents of 1,562 children followed at ages 2, 3, and 5 1/2 years. As part of the study, the parents specifically provided information about the frequency with which the television was turned on while eating. For children’s screen time, only time spent in front of the TV, computer and video games was considered,” explain the researchers, whose study is published in the journal la revue nature. The children’s language assessment was conducted through questionnaires filled out by the parents when the children were two years old. , and then by psychologists when they were 3 and 5 and a half years old

Conclusions:

At two years, children whose television was constantly on while eating had a lower language level than children who were not in front of the station. At ages 3 and 5 1/2 years, language ratings and verbal IQs were higher in children who were “never” exposed to television during family meals, compared to those who were “sometimes” or more.

Screens, a danger to the brain?

Already in 2019, a Canadian study of 2,500 two-year-olds raised the impact of screens on children's development. Researchers from the University of Calgary showed that children ages 2 to 3 who spent two to three hours a day staring at a screen performed worse on developmental screening tests later in childhood between ages 3 and 5. The researchers said communication, motor skills or the ability to solve problems, as well as social skills, can be affected.

These conclusions are all in line with another US study of 11,000 American children. Preliminary findings indicate that spending more than two hours a day in front of a screen can harm children's memory. After 7 hours a day, they experience premature thinning of the cerebral cortex, the seat of memory, language, or consciousness.

The role of eating meals in slow language development in children:

Researchers from the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS) found that leaving the TV on permanently during meals contributes to slower language development in children.

Children between the ages of 3 and 6 spend nearly two hours a day in front of a screen. By following more than 1,500 children between the ages of 2 to 5 years for several years, researchers from NSERM and the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS) discovered that this time children spend permanently in front of screens, more precisely in front of a television set, which is turned on During family meals, which are the key moments in verbal exchange between adults and children, have an impact on language acquisition.

To measure these times and contexts of screen use, questionnaires were completed by parents of 1,562 children followed at ages 2, 3, and 5½ years. As part of the study, the parents specifically provided information about the frequency with which the TV was turned on while eating. For children's screen time, only time spent in front of the TV, computer and video games was considered.

The researchers, whose study was published in the journal la revue nature, explained that the children's language assessment was carried out through questionnaires that were filled out by parents when the children were two years old, and then by psychologists when they were 3 and 5 and a half years old.

Conclusions:

At 2 years of age, children whose television was constantly on while eating had a lower level of language compared to children who were not in front of the station.

At ages 3 and 5½ years, language ratings and verbal IQ scores were higher for children who were “never” exposed to television during family meals, compared to those who were “sometimes” or more often.

Screens, a brain hazard?

A Canadian study conducted, in 2019, on 2,500 two-year-olds confirmed the impact of screens on children's development. Researchers from the University of Calgary showed that children between the ages of 2 and 3 spent between two and three hours a day staring at a screen, and they performed worse on developmental screening tests later in childhood between the ages of 3 and 5. The researchers said communication, motor skills or the ability to solve problems, as well as social skills, can be affected.

All these conclusions are in line with another US study of 11,000 American children, in which preliminary findings indicate that spending more than two hours a day in front of a screen would harm children's memory. After 7 hours a day, they may experience premature thinning of the cerebral cortex, the seat of memory, language, or consciousness.

Hearing and Pronunciation:

The profession of hearing and speech correction has three goals: prevention, examination and treatment.

protection:

Between one and three years, it is important to remain alert for signs of a language delay at birth.

Before twelve months, it should be noted that the reaction is limited to stimulation or is affected by the noise of the surroundings, with limited smiles or babbling.

From twelve months to twenty-four months, the child utters his first words and opens up to the language at this age. Starting from the age of eighteen months, his words are enriched and grow gradually, at this stage it is possible to intervene to help the child and direct him to pronounce correctly, such as (using a few gestures to communicate, making slightly different sounds and not trying to repeat them, it will seem as if he understands a little bit what you are saying and focuses attention on sounds or things specific).

After three years of age, the main warning signs are (inability to form short, simple sentences, making several very different sounds, not understanding simple questions, wanting to communicate with gestures rather than words).

Examination:

An examination is conducted for the child to identify the main problem, and this examination has two main objectives, which are to ask the parents a set of questions to get as close as possible to the child's problems and to know when he feels comfortable and when he does not feel that way.

Doing a set of exercises for the child about his habits and assigning points to make the process tangible. A set of these exercises helps us to see his condition and compare it since the first examination and the condition it developed into after the medical taming process, according to the time period and the number of classes.

treatment:

All the data collected about the child from the beginning and the results reached are identified, compared and the degree of development in his condition is monitored.

Who are the people concerned with the correction of speech and hearing?

Hearing and speech diseases can include different age groups. A child who has lost hearing since birth is automatically speechless, so he visits many specialists, including those who specialize in ear diseases. When he visits a speech therapist, he identifies the problem and uses a stethoscope at ear level to start the process of medical taming.

Children who suffer from academic problems (the inability to read, the inability to write, or they have a delay in writing and reading).

At the appropriate age, a hearing aid is used or other means are used to treat the hearing process.

As for the elderly, because of the way of life, especially those who suffer from high blood pressure and suffer from strokes that cause the inability to speak permanently or to speak in a stuttering and incomprehensible way... In this case, the specialist intervenes in the correction of speech. Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, i.e. at an advanced age

What do parents advise?

He advises parents to do two basic things, which are play between parents and the child. It is very important to join him in his interest in the thing by adding some words. Draw his attention to things by making signs and making comments. And monitoring it to identify the stimuli that make it interact more. Which generates an openness to the body and its movement. The guardian must differentiate between a child who does not know and a child who is unable to learn.

The child who does not know can be helped with remedial lessons and a solution can be found, but the child who is not able to learn is sick and should not wait for the exams to train him or prepare a teaching system during the year, because his condition cannot progress if there is no cerebral stimulation for that. It is necessary to play with the child during learning, because he should not impose something on him without loving him, as he will not learn in this way at all, and this is not the desired goal of the learning process.

Tips for teaching a child to speak quickly:

It is nice to follow your child as he learns speaking skills, and uses a sentence of two or three words. You can also contribute to the development and acceleration of these skills through:

Give your child enough time to play:

Play is the child’s laboratory in research and learning, where he learns exploration skills, sizes, colors and shapes, and through play he begins to name things or learn them, and it is also important for the child to play with other children, you will not believe the speed at which your child will learn a word from another child, you do not have any A chance to compete with your little one's friends!

Turning ordinary activities into science experiments:

Explain all the work and activities involved with the children in detail, be patient and listen to their explanation of what they like, the way they can express, and encourage and motivate them.

Name things verbally and repeat the names frequently:

Children learn by repetition. Ask them to repeat what you named, by asking: (What is this?), and you can make sure that he understands the name by asking about its location: (Where is this?).

Use what the child likes to get him to talk:

Give him plenty of time to deal with the things he loves, talk to him about them, express your admiration for them, and ask him about their features and colors.

Use games that improve the child's imagination:

Sorting shapes, assembling simple pictures, and classifying similar shapes. Characters can also be represented and actions imagined. Then let your child imagine talking on the phone or playing music. He will love the sounds in these cases.

speak passionately:

Children enjoy when their parents talk to them enthusiastically, and they want to interact and talk more, and their response will be quick to answer and express their opinion, so use exaggerated sounds and gestures.

Talk to your child in adult language:

Do not use your children's words to try to make them understand what you want, but speak the correct pronunciation of the word, this will be better and faster to teach the language, just repeat the correct words, and make sure to slow down the speed of speaking, as their speech processing is still slow.

Minimize the child's use of his mouth and tongue to speak and make sounds.

Take advantage of the movement:

Movement, playing, jumping, and the excitement of running will contribute to motivating the child to scream out of joy, or out of surprise, as many researchers in child sensory science pointed to the role of this type of game in stimulating phonetics and language in children.

mixing:

The mixing of children with those of a close age to them will be the most stimulus in language development and improving the speed of learning it, whether this is in child care places, in the play group, or meeting the children of family friends and relatives, the presence of other children around you will make a difference in the speed of learning speech and language.

Use the idea of expansion in language:

When your child speaks a small word or phrase, expand on the idea and phrase, by repeating the child's phrase and adding a word or two, to increase the number and use of the child's familiar vocabulary.

Praise and encouragement:

The most important motivating methods for the child to learn to speak quickly, which give quick results.

Children's speech delay:

In general, your child's delay in saying some words is not evidence of a problem or disability. Each child has a certain time in which he will pronounce most of the vocabulary, but sometimes the delay in pronunciation may be evidence of other problems such as hearing impairment or developmental problems.

But how do you know that your child has a speech delay?

The following are a group of symptoms that confirm that the child has a delay in speech:

At the age of two months: the child does not coo or make sounds or babble.
At the age of one year: he was unable to say papa or mama.
2 years old: does not use at least 25 words.
By 2 1/2 years: Doesn't use unique two- or three-word phrases.
By three years: Doesn't use at least 200 words, doesn't ask for things by name, or has trouble understanding what they're saying.
In the event that your child is unable at any age to say the words that were previously learned, this is a sure indication that he suffers from a problem in pronunciation.

Treatment of delayed speech in children:

As for how to treat delayed speech in children, this is done according to the following:

Address your child and talk to him, this motivates him to learn and pronounce.
Use gestures and point to objects while saying their names.
Read to your child and talk to him about the pictures he sees.
Sing has simple songs that are easy to repeat.
Give your child your full attention when he tries to talk to you.
When someone asks him a question, don't answer it.
When you anticipate what he wants, ask him before giving it to him.
Let your child interact with children who have good language skills.

When should you visit the doctor?

There are two types of speech-related problems in children:

The first: just a delay in learning to speak and pronounce it, which is a normal occurrence for many children, as he says some words correctly, and stutters in saying other words, and here there is no need to visit the doctor, especially if this happens under the age of two years.
As for the second: it has to do with the presence of a problem in the child that hinders his ability to speak and speak, such as hearing loss, mouth problems, cerebral palsy, muscle atrophy, or brain injuries, where the child cannot say any simple word such as Mama or Papa. Even after the age of two years, in this case, a pediatrician should be visited immediately to find out the cause of the speech problem, and to treat it.

Teaching a child who is late to speak:

From the beginning of the formation of the fetus in the womb of his mother, and the fathers are the most important part in the life of their child, and when the subject reaches the stage of teaching the child everything related to life, the parents are an important element in helping their children, including children who suffer from a problem in speech or language.

Ways to encourage a child's speech development:

So here are some ways to encourage your child's speech development:

Effective communication with your child: Talk to your child, sing to him, encourage him to imitate sounds and gestures and encourage him.
Read stories and books to your child: Start reading when your child is an infant and look for age-appropriate soft cloth or thick cardboard books or picture books that encourage children to look and interact while reading and naming pictures.
Use situations in everyday life: to build your child's speech and language, you have to talk to your child all day long about everything around you, name vegetables and fruits while shopping, explain what you do while cooking a meal or clean and tidy the house and point to things around the house.
Speak in simple vocabulary at the beginning and avoid talking in the language of children, but rather use the correct language.
Recognizing and treating speech and language delays early is the most appropriate solution, so consult your doctor if you are concerned about your child's speech or language development to have the necessary hearing and speech tests.

Emotional and linguistic development from one to three months

The development of boys and girls begins from the first moment of life in the different areas:

Linguistics.
Engine.
socio-affective.

The process continues for up to several years after birth. There are critical periods for the normal brain development of the baby.

These are phases in which there is a high level of sensitivity to environmental stimulation.

The most important critical periods are: intrauterine life (pregnancy) and the first year of life.

When they are born, babies begin their development through the interaction they have with the environment.

Little by little, they achieve certain tasks that are known as “developmental milestones”.

Examples of these milestones are:

turn around for the first time
smile for the first time
stand up
Crawl
Say your first words
Take your first steps

The scientific literature refers that neurodevelopment is determined not only by genetics , but also by stimulation and nutrition.

For this reason, it is necessary to pay attention to these aspects, especially when there is a diagnosis of heart disease.

Developmental milestones occur in a more or less determined order and at a certain age.

This is why we must know what to expect, in order to monitor warning signs.

These can indicate that there is any and that it is necessary to inform the doctor in a timely manner.

In this article we will talk about the development of babies from the first to the third month of life , in the areas of language and socio-affective (what has to do with emotions).

language development:

Language is a skill that is learned naturally and becomes a fundamental part of communication.

In girls and boys the following forms of language can be recognized:

Gestural or pre-verbal : facial and manual gestures or grimaces that emerge from 0 to 12 months.
verbal: speech, which arises and is perfected between 1 to 5 years.
Written: that arises after 5 years.

In this article we are going to focus on pre-verbal language , which occurs before the child utters his first words. During this stage, the communication that the child establishes is with his immediate environment, usually through simple gestures and sounds.

The development of the baby's language depends on several factors:

- Emotional security:

the baby must perceive that he is in a comfortable and safe environment.

- Linguistic stimulation:

presence of activities such as reading, speaking and singing to the baby. It is important that you pronounce yourself well and clearly.

- Quality of interactions with adults:

how frequent and constant is linguistic stimulation.

- Biological maturation:

nervous system, auditory system, vocal or verbal apparatus, and intelligence.

- Learning processes:

state and progress of higher cognitive functions.

What should we expect from the 1st to the 3rd month in terms of language?

Our baby, as we mentioned, will begin to emit monosyllabic sounds (of a single syllable), such as gurgles or cooing. And, when we speak to him, he will turn his gaze to the sounds.

What are the warning signs?

We must pay attention if our baby does not make any sound, if he does not respond to loud noises or does not pay attention to his mother's voice.

Socio-affective development, baby's emotions:

Socio - affective development includes the way boys and girls feel about themselves and others.

It also refers to how they interpret feelings, regulate their emotions, and express them.

Likewise, form is the dimension that accounts for how they build relationships with others.

It is important that our baby feels safe and loved from the first moment. For this, we must speak to him with affection, caress him, hug him and smile at him.

What should we expect from the 1st to the 3rd month in terms of socio-affective development?

A newborn is able to look and stare into the eyes of people, especially his mother.

Over time he will learn to follow his gaze and realize when there are unfamiliar faces or when his mother is not there . In three months or so he will be able to smile at people.

What are the warning signs?

We must be careful if our baby does not hold our eyes when we talk to him, if he does not follow us with his eyes or if, after three months, he still does not smile back when we smile.