Children
are exposed to devices, both at school, as
well as at home. Schools have begun instructing children to use hand held
devices to complete their tasks, especially among younger children who haven't
learnt how to write.
‘Handheld devices include smartphones and tablets that are portable and easy to carry. Infants these days are increasingly exposed to such devices, thereby increasing their risk of speech delay.’
Parents
tend to keep children "busy" with handheld devices so that they can complete
their chores without their young ones seeking their attention. This is a common
sight in public places like restaurants and at home.
The
negative aspect is that such
indiscriminate use of technology can lead to transient changes in the
mood as well as long term changes in
the brain. This is similar to the effects of consuming a high sugar soda, whose
short term effects include sudden bursts of energy that could lead to
hyperactivity in a child, and which, in the long run, also increases the risk
for chronic diseases like diabetes.
Mozart Effect:
The
Mozart effect is a transient elevation in the mood; it is the effect of any experience like listening to music or
playing video games that have the ability to manipulate mood. Earlier studies
have shown that excessive use of technology can lead to aggressive behavior
among children.
In
the current study,
894 children aged
between 6 months and 2 years, who participated in the TARGet Kids, which is a
practice-based research network in Toronto, were studied between 2011 and 2015.
After the initial screening, the children
were reviewed after 18 months and the study findings were
- 20% of the children
used handheld device everyday on an average for 28 minutes, according to parents
- Increase in time
with handheld devices increased risk of speech delays, based on language
delay screening tools
- Every 30 minute
increase in handheld screen time led to 49% increase in speech delay,
- Other
developmental delays associated with longer handheld screen time were
delays in social interactions, gestures and body language communication
The
lead author of the study, Dr. Catherine Birken, said that the use of handheld
devices have become rampant even though a lot of caution has been advised over
their use by pediatricians. With newer and more entertaining features being
incorporated everyday, that are both colorful and captivating to the eyes and
the ears, toddlers are increasingly drawn towards these gadgets. This is the
first study that reports the possible connection between the use of handheld
device and delays in expressive speech.
Recommendation by the American Academy of
Pediatrics
The
results of the study, according to Dr. Birken, are in accordance with the
American Academy of Pediatrics' recent policy, that recommends discouraging the
use of any type of screen media among children who are younger than 18 months.
The
scientists associated with the study stated that further research was needed to
determine
- mechanism
of association between handheld screen time and delay in
speech
- time spent together
with parents when using the devices
- impact on long
term communication
Screen Time For the Current Generation:
There
is access to movies and games for children, much more than it was ever there
before
- 90% of children
below the age of 2 watch some form of electronic media
- Children who are
below the age of 2 watch at least 1
to 2 hours per day
- One third of children
in the U.S have a television in their bedroom by the time they are 3 years
- 39% of parents with
young children state that the television at home is on for a minimum of 6
hours.
A
lot of shows are especially designed for the young audience, but studies have
shown that the content in these shows may not be effective. The shows that are
marked as educational may be very difficult for the child to understand, with a
risk of being exposed to too much light and sound. Many children are also
exposed to a lot of shows meant for adults, as
the adults in the family watch the shows when the children are in the room.
The
current study shows that the visual display experience by toddlers while
watching handheld devices could delay their ability to begin speaking, a
developmental delay that can be prevented by restricting access to such
gadgets.
References :- Infants and Toddlers "Unplugged": New Recommendations about Media Use from the American Academy of Pediatrics - (http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Unplugged--New-recommendations-about-Media-Use-fro.aspx)
- Children, wired - for better and for worse - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3170902/)
Source: Medindia
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