Jambiflash.com – Playing with gadgets too often is not harmful to toddlers.
Toddlers who frequently play with gadgets are at risk of experiencing speech delay. The impact of speech delay has been proven in many studies released to the public.
Speech delay is a condition where there is a delay in speaking. It is characterized by the difficulty in understanding a child when they try to express their thoughts.
Speech delay is different from language delay, which is marked by the child’s ability to say words but inability to combine them.
Speech delay can be caused by several factors, such as physical growth disorders, ear infections, or problems with the mouth or hearing.
“Another cause of speech delay is children being too attached to gadgets. This means using gadgets too often,” according to a report from The Hanen Center.
The Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) says that this issue of speech delay is suspected to be prevalent among preschool children. The question arises, how does gadget use by young children lead to speech delay?
When young children have screen time, they only receive one-way speech stimulation. However, at their age, they need two-way language and speech development.
“In the first few years of life, a child’s receptive brain is learning a new language and building communication pathways. When these pathways do not form due to one-way stimulation, it is undeniable that the child’s language and speech abilities may develop more slowly,” the report states.
The American Academy of Pediatrics conducted a study at a children’s hospital in Canada. Researchers observed nearly 900 children aged 6 months to 2 years.
Researchers found that toddlers who frequently use gadgets tend to experience delays in expressive language abilities. Moreover, the ability to say words and sentences is also slower,” the report states.
It was also noted that toddlers who often watch videos have a smaller vocabulary. Even babies aged 8-16 months who watched videos for more than an hour had fewer vocabularies.
So, what is the ideal amount of time for young children to access phones or gadgets?
The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends that children aged 2-5 years should have less than one hour of screen time per day. Besides limiting the duration, parents should also select appropriate content. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents with children aged 2-5 years consider the following:
- Choose videos with good and quality content.
- Accompany children when they use gadgets.
- Encourage children to talk and interact while watching videos. (uda)
