Current Events > Question for parents with kids (5 years and older)

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm curious about typical language development in children around 4.5 years old. My fiance's nephew (turning 5 in four months) seems to speak and act like a 2-year-old.

He mainly uses simple phrases like "stop," "why?", "what's this?", "where you going?", and "I'm hungry". His attempts at full sentences often come out as gibberish. When he learns a new word, he tends to repeat it randomly. For instance, he's been saying "car crash" frequently after hearing it from others.

Both of his parents speak English as a second language, which may be a factor. He doesn't speak or understand his parents' first language at all.

Echolalia. Could be delayed language development - also a frequent "tell" for autism.

Thats particularly slow language development for a 5 year old.

I used to worry about this a lot.

But honestly, a kid isn't broken just because yousuckatparenting dot com tells you their kids do such and such thing at such and such age.

If they're neurotypical, they mostly conform to each other socially around the time they go to school. And this comes out in the form of speech as well. If they're not, they'll generally have more signs than just having such and such level of vocabulary.

You could always suggest the parents ask the pediatrician about neurology and see what they say.

The other day at the park, he joined a group of random kids at the playground. One kid repeatedly asked him, "HOW OLD ARE YOU?" and he didn't know how to respond. He just ran around as if nothing had happened.

I remember when I was 4 and a kid asked me how old I was. I knew I was 4, lol.

Dark_Koopatrol posted...

The other day at the park, he joined a group of random kids at the playground. One kid repeatedly asked him, "HOW OLD ARE YOU?" and he didn't know how to respond. He just ran around as if nothing had happened.

I remember when I was 4 and a kid asked me how old I was. I knew I was 4, lol.

Yeah I would have him tested for developmental issues.

I wouldn't jump to conclusions, because kids can learn over very different time spans and it's all perfectly normal.

Does the kid manage to communicate regardless? (Some are more physically demonstrative, others have siblings who 'help' them so this).

If the parents are concerned they should see a professional. Preferably without having any preconceptions.

The23rdMagus posted...

Echolalia. Could be delayed language development - also a frequent "tell"

:(. i suffered that as well

it's a disability that impacts learning things.

ai123 posted...

I wouldn't jump to conclusions, because kids can learn over very different time spans and it's all perfectly normal.

Indeed, there's a lot of variations, but there's also cutoffs, and TC is decribing clear red flags.

ai123 posted...

Does the kid manage to communicate regardless? (Some are more physically demonstrative, others have siblings who 'help' them so this).

If the parents are concerned they should see a professional. Preferably without having any preconceptions.

If they are unconcerned other family members should empathetically interject and help them seek a medical evaluation.

LonelyStoner posted...

Thats particularly slow language development for a 5 year old.

But a five year old now would have been quarantined thanks to COVID at peak linguistic development time. Here's a 2022 article about the phenomenon:

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/education/2022/06/09/pandemic-babies-now-toddlers-delayed-development-heres-why/9660318002/

As someone who's not a parent yet, I can see that his parents aren't very strict with him. They allow him to do pretty much whatever he wants. They believe he's so 'perfect' and is progressing well.

My fiance and I have to be careful not to criticize him in front of them, because it upsets them.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/09f4a788.jpghttps://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/209edb99.jpg

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/209edb99.jpg

When we ask him to stop behaviors like picking his nose or throwing things, he'll either stop and obey, oppose by repeatedly saying "No" and "I don't like you!" Then storms away and cries.

we're all throwing things