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Child Not Going Through Oral Phase. Is This Normal Or Is There Any Developmental Delays?

Posted on Sun, 21 Oct 2012

Question: My son is 12 months old now. I have heard that babies usually go through a phase in which they put any new thing in their mouth (toys, food items, things lying on floor etc..) to examine them. But my son never underwent that phase. Very rarely I see him putting things in mouth. Though he does other things like touch and feel, smell, beat and throw things. Even now, if I give him his favourite food also, he does not immediately know that he has to put it into his mouth. only when I show him once, he does that. Is this normal or should I get him checked for any developmental delays? (He is generally a good eater, in good health and a very active kid. His other developmental milestones are normal)

Answered by Dr. Sumitra Kumar Mukherjee (1 hour later)

Dear XXXXXX,
Thank you for your query. You are right there is a phase called oral phase but it is not necessarily important. Children tend to put things in mouth when they started teething. I think you should not worry about that so long his other behaviours are normal as you mentioned. The psychomotor miles stones of development in children may vary enormously from child to child. Usually a child can put words in to speech about the age of 2yrs. but it is said Scientist XXXXXXX Einstein started talking at the age of five!
I think I have answered your query. Let me know if you have any more concerns.
Kindest regards
Dr. S.K.Mukherjee

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli