This Everyday Technology Is Delaying Your Toddler’s Speech Development

The negative effect goes a long way...

Posted on

12 July 2017

We live in an age where iPads and iPhones are equally (if not more) important than human connection and food. Most three-year-olds can work screen-held devices better than most adults.

And let’s be honest here – you’re a busy parent and you LOVE the quiet and peace these hand-held devices offer you. Any kind of screen time (TV, laptop, smartphone, digital games) may look like a blessing in disguise but in reality, it’s hampering your babies’ speech development.

A study report, presented at the 2017 Paediatric Academic Societies Meeting by Dr Catherine Birken found a link between screen time and speech delays in children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years.

The preliminary study, conducted with 900 participants proved that every 30-minute increase in daily screen time caused nearly 50 percent increased risk of speech delay.

In an interview with CNN, Dr Birken explained, "It's the first time that we've sort of shone a light on this potential issue, but I think the results need to be tempered [because] it's really the first look."

Though more research needs to be done on the type of content and its cause and effect, this study proves how seemingly harmless activities such as giving the phone to placate a crying child can affect their ability to communicate in the long run.

Every baby has his/her own growth pace but kids who are excessively exposed to screen-time and digital devices may face difficulties in conceptualising words or defining emotions. These setbacks in their growth can cause frustration as they’re unable to communicate their feelings properly. And that’s not all, in the long run, these language delays can impede literacy skills in grade school.

The modest route here is to limit the screen time to only educational on interactive content that aids their development.