Babies aren’t supposed to talk—it’s a widely accepted fact that doesn’t require much debate. Babies cry because they lack the ability to use words to express their needs, or so we’ve always believed. But what if some babies could talk, and it’s simply something we haven’t encountered because of the vastness of the world?
Social media has made it easier than ever to glimpse extraordinary moments from people’s lives. One such moment was captured by Mekeia, a mom of two, who shared a video of her 3-month-old son not just babbling, but seemingly repeating full sentences.
In the video, Mekeia’s older daughter is playing with her baby brother. The girl holds the baby’s face and says, “Say, ‘I am two months,’” before Mekeia corrects her, “Say, ‘I am three months.’” As the baby starts making noises, the mom encourages her daughter to let the baby “talk.” What happens next stuns everyone: the baby appears to repeat the phrase in a way that sounds remarkably clear.
Both Mekeia and her daughter are visibly shocked. The mom, who is on the phone with a friend, initially chalks it up to coincidence. She puts the phone near the baby and prompts him to say, “Hey Bam.” This time, the baby doesn’t repeat the words, just babbles. But moments later, when prompted with “Say, ‘Hey Quintin,’” the baby does it again, mimicking the sounds and cadence so closely that it seems like he’s actually speaking.
The older sister is overcome with emotion and begins to cry, while Mekeia laughs in disbelief. Meanwhile, the friend on the phone is left in stunned silence, trying to process what just happened.
Commenters flooded the video with excitement and humor. “He’s a baby genius—start showing him math problems,” one person suggested. Another joked, “Next thing you know, he’ll be writing emails and making appointments.” Others marveled at his intelligence, with one viewer admitting, “Talking so clearly would scare me! He’s so smart!”
Some commenters pointed out a possible explanation: echolalia. According to Speech and Language Advisor Claire Smith, who spoke to the BBC, echolalia is a normal part of child development. It occurs when children imitate sounds and words they hear as they learn to speak. Over time, children typically progress from mimicking words to forming their own sentences.
While echolalia can sometimes be associated with autism, it’s not always a cause for concern. Many children outgrow it by the age of three and continue developing language skills typically.
Whatever the reason behind this baby’s astonishing mimicry, one thing is clear—it’s a moment that left everyone amazed and sparked plenty of conversations online.