#asktheexperts my daughter 1yr7month old but yet she is not speaking

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It's common for children to develop speech and language skills at different rates. Here are some strategies to help encourage and support your daughter's language development:

### Engage in Regular Conversation
1. **Talk Frequently**: Narrate your day and describe what you're doing, even if she doesn't respond. Use simple language and short sentences.
2. **Eye Contact**: Make eye contact when speaking to her to help her focus on your words and facial expressions.

### Read Together
1. **Read Daily**: Read age-appropriate books with colorful pictures. Point to and name objects in the book.
2. **Interactive Reading**: Ask questions about the pictures and encourage her to point to objects. For example, "Where is the dog?" or "Can you find the ball?"

### Sing Songs and Nursery Rhymes
1. **Songs**: Sing simple songs and nursery rhymes with repetitive phrases and actions. This helps with memory and language rhythm.
2. **Actions**: Incorporate hand movements or dances that match the songs to make it more engaging.

### Encourage Imitation
1. **Copy Sounds**: Encourage her to imitate sounds and words. Start with simple sounds like "mama," "dada," and animal sounds.
2. **Play Imitation Games**: Play games that involve imitation, like making animal sounds or copying your actions.

### Expand on Her Communication
1. **Repeat and Expand**: If she makes a sound or a simple word, repeat it back and expand on it. For example, if she says "ball," you can say, "Yes, that's a big, red ball!"
2. **Respond to Gestures**: Acknowledge and expand on her non-verbal communication. If she points to something, name it and add more information, like "That's a bird! The bird is flying."

### Create Opportunities for Speech
1. **Choices**: Offer choices and encourage her to use words to make decisions. For example, "Do you want an apple or a banana?" and wait for her response.
2. **Prompt Words**: Gently prompt her to use words instead of gestures. If she points to a toy, say, "Do you want the toy? Say 'toy.'"

### Play and Interaction
1. **Interactive Play**: Engage in interactive play with toys that encourage verbal interaction, like talking dolls or toy telephones.
2. **Peer Interaction**: Arrange playdates with other children to encourage social and verbal interaction.

### Limit Screen Time
1. **Screen Time**: Limit exposure to screens, as interactive play and conversation are more beneficial for language development.

### Be Patient and Encouraging
1. **Positive Reinforcement**: Praise her efforts to communicate, even if the words aren't clear.
2. **Avoid Pressure**: Avoid pressuring her to speak. Create a supportive and encouraging environment for her to develop her language skills at her own pace.

### Monitor Progress and Seek Help if Needed
1. **Track Development**: Keep track of her progress and any new words or sounds she starts using.
2. **Professional Advice**: If you're concerned about her speech development, consider consulting a pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation and personalized guidance.

By creating a language-rich environment, being patient, and engaging in regular interactive activities, you can help support your daughter's speech development.