The age at which the child begins to talk varies with individuals and also with circumstances and environment. Girls on the average will learn to talk earlier than boys; the average is about two months earlier. The average child begins to say such words as mamma and papa a little before one year of age. Other simple and easy words are learned until by the second year he is putting words together. How early a child learns to talk depends to a great extent upon the amount of time given him by adults in trying to teach him. The words that he learns depend largely on what is taught at the beginning. The reason for the average child learning to say papa first is largely due to the efforts of the mother who induces the child to say this word; then naturally an effort is made to get the child to say mamma and from this word attention is directed to any pets there may be in the family. Then the names of objects are learned. Verbs are usually next learned then adverbs and adjectives. Following these in order are the conjunctions, prepositions, and articles. Personal pronouns are the last to be learned. Children who are permitted to associate with other children will usually learn to talk earlier than those who are reared alone. If the child has not learned to talk at two years of age he may be mentally deficient; or failure to talk may be the result of being deaf or some other incoördination of the vocal apparatus may exist. As soon as a child is discovered to be mute he should have immediate chiropractic attention. Many such cases are on record which show excellent results obtained through adjustments. HEAD The occipito-frontal measurement of the child at birth is from 13.52 inches to 13.90 inches. The most rapid growth of the head takes place during the first year. With the average child this growth is about four inches. For the first few months the growth is about half an inch per month. During the second year the circumference of the head increases only about one inch and for the next three years, about one and one-half inches. From this time until puberty, about five years, it increases only about half an inch. The head develops so rapidly so early in life that it appears to be all out of proportion for the body. Sutures In syphilitic infants or in premature birth, the cranial bones may be distinctly separated. This condition does not, however, necessarily prove that either exists for often subluxations are produced at the time of birth and these prevent the normal expression of Innate Intelligence in bringing about the adaptative processes necessary to close the sutures. This is an abnormal condition and should receive careful consideration at the hands of the chiropractor. Normally the main sutures ossify at about the end of the sixth month, although there may be some mobility at the end of the ninth month. If after this the sutures have not entirely ossified the child should be carefully examined for subluxations. Fontanels