Q: My daughter is 3.5 years old. She is not framing full sentences yet. She knows all the nouns and most of the common verbs. She has very good memory as well. She knows where things are and brings them or points to them when asked. She can identify both the upper & lower case alphabets and counts numbers till 30. She doesn't take change easily. She doesn't speak constructive sentences and has no interest to continue the conversation. She shows affection towards other kids like hugging or kissing them but fails to converse with them. She prefers to play in a group but at times plays alone. It depends on her mood. She likes showing affection towards infants. Her attention span is not less. I am concerned about her lack of communication and stubbornness. Is she normal? What can I do to improve her communication?

A:Your child seems to know a lot and is within the normal range. You can talk to her and get her to do things that are more socially acceptable. If she is not speaking at all, you could consult a Speech therapist. But you can begin at home, with playing children's music on CDs or cassette tapes and see if she picks up the songs. You could read out stories from picture books and have her follow the page while you are reading. I would not use the word stubbornness. It does seem like an unwillingness to mingle easily with other children. You will have to be patient and work gradually. Play with her and let her communicate what she wants. Watching her and observing her closely will guide you for the next steps. If you still need help, consult an expert in person.