What could be the reason a 2-year-and-10-month-old child cannot speak, and what should be done?

Generally, a 2-year-and-10-month-old child's inability to speak may be related to factors such as living environment, hearing loss, brain injury, articulation disorders, or autism. It is recommended to seek timely medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause and initiate appropriate treatment. Specific analysis is as follows:

1. Living Environment

A 2-year-and-10-month-old child raised in an environment with limited language stimulation and few opportunities for social interaction may experience delayed language development, leading to the aforementioned issues. Parents should actively communicate with the child using simple language, facial expressions, and gestures. Encourage the child to imitate sounds and actions, and provide positive feedback and encouragement.

2. Hearing Loss

The child may have hearing problems such as middle ear infections or congenital defects, which can impair sound recognition and prevent normal reception of external auditory signals, thereby affecting speech production. Parents should schedule regular hearing assessments for early detection. Treatment at a reputable hospital may include surgical removal of local lesions and repair or reconstruction of the middle ear sound-conducting structures, such as middle ear surgery, stapedectomy, or implantable hearing aids.

3. Brain Injury

Brain damage due to accidents, infections, or developmental abnormalities may affect the development of language centers in the brain, resulting in the child's inability to speak. Professional medical evaluation can identify underlying issues and guide parents in implementing appropriate rehabilitation and intervention strategies. In such cases, the child may require surgical correction at a正规 hospital, speech therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or other interventions.

4. Articulation Disorders

The child may have structural or motor issues in the oral cavity that interfere with normal speech production. Rehabilitation therapy, speech correction, and assistance from pediatric audiologists can help improve articulation difficulties.

5. Autism

The child may exhibit characteristics of autism spectrum disorder, including difficulties in social communication, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests. Under medical guidance, early intervention training—primarily behavior-based interventions such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)—can be implemented to promote verbal and nonverbal communication.

In daily life, parents should frequently interact with their 2-year-and-10-month-old child, read stories, encourage simple verbal expressions, and gradually train the child to develop speaking skills.