My niece can not speak at age 6. She can't remember colours either (she's not colour blind or deaf).?

Question

I'm really worried that she is retarded in growth. She doesnt look retarded. She can not distinguish colours which is a basic kindergarten test.

What could this be? Has anyone else had a daughter like this?

Answer 1

It can happen and the child should be checked out by a doctor.

Answer 2

There are a lot of reasons why a child may not be speaking by a certain age. It could be physical or emotional or like the old saying went, she might not have anything to say. The same is true with not knowing her colors. It seems like her pediatrician would be tracking this if she is on course for well baby checks etc.

There are many types of learning disabilities and fortunately, there are a lot of good professionals that can help. It doesn't have to be a life long problem. Learning disabilities do not mean the child is not smart. Many very smart, successful people have learning disabilities and learned to live with it.

But as others have already said here, the child should be tested. Some states will pay for any child to be tested but the parents may wish to have their own pediatrician recommend someone as well. Getting as much information as possible is the best. A program can be developed that will focus on the child's needs be it speech therapy or behavior modification or whatever.

But the absolutely most important thing to do IMO is to love the child no matter what. Don't treat her differently or make her problem the only thing you focus on. If she feels like she's different it will only make things harder.

Good luck. Hope things work out for the best.

Answer 3

My sister, could not speak at age 6. She could not express herself. She would throw tantrums because of it. She looked like everyone else. Later on many tests later, it turned out that she had a small degree of brain damage that happened during pregnancy. A small brain vesel burst in the early stages of preganacy. She needed special schooling, teachers and much more. Now she is 12 and doing well. She can speak read write. This is just my expereince, probablly not what's going on with your neice. But it's an example. It could be a whole host of reasons why she is not speaking.

Answer 4

Is she doing developmentally appropriate things in other areas of development--cognitive, motor, emotional? She needs to have an evaluation done immediately. All public schools offer this for free. She might be autistic or have a serious emotional disorder. Being mute is not normal behavior and a differential diagnosis is critical. The speech and language department of a university would be another good place to start.

Answer 5

Your niece MUST have a complete developmental assessment. I really don't know how it is arranged in the UK, Australia, or South Africa, but in the USA, the schools are responsible for testing kids for school placement and all needed therapies. Just because she doesn't look "retarded" doesn't mean she isn't. I've treated many children with global delays ("retarded"), and lots of them didn't "look retarded".

Answer 6

If your niece is 6 years old and can not speak then she really needs to see her doctor so he can send her for an evaluation to see if maybe its a hearing problem or some type of a disorder or retardation, but they really should not wait another day.

Answer 7

You need to talk to your Pediatrician. They will tell you if there is anything to worry about and if there is, who you need to take your daughter to and for what testing.

By the way, those of us with children that have special needs do not appreciate the use of the word 'retard'. It's harsh and cruel. (I thought that you may want to know for future reference as I am certain that there was no ill intent on your part.)

Good luck. My prayers are with you

Answer 8

If she cannot distinguish colors how do you know she is not color blind? I would get a professional evaluation to determine what could be causing the delay in speech development.

Answer 9

well i was born with cerbral palsy and i was put in first step at the age of 2 because of it when i entered kindergarden i was having trouble with colors and numbers they put me in a special needs class that helped me a lot

Answer 10

SHE MAY HAVE A LEARNING DISABILITY , BEST THING IS TO GET HER TESTED BY A PSYCHOLOGIST TO SEE HER IQ AND TO HAVE THEM TALK WITH HER AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY ..GOOD LUCK AND SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT HER PROBLEMS ..A PSYCHOLOGIST TOLD ME MY READING LEVEL IS THAT OF A 5TH GRADERS , NOW THIS TEST WAS DONE WHEN I WAS 21 YRS OLD , I AM NOW ALMOST 39 YRS OLD ..BUT , GOD BLESS HER AND THE FAMILY !