Thursday 9 August 2018

Electronic gadgets can cause speech delay - Sky Speech and Hearing Care

Delay the use of touch screen electronics for your baby or risk speech delay


A new study has found a link between the use of handheld devices by babies and speech delay. The study was presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting. The research studied the correlation between speech delay and time spent by children between ages six months and two years with handheld electronics (smartphones, tablets and electronic games). Of the study group of 1,070 kids, about 70% of the children had no handheld screen time and 20% spent an average of 28 minutes per day using handheld, touch screen electronic devices. The researchers identified a significant association between handheld screen time and expressive speech disorder. They also found that for every 30 minutes of screen use above the average the risk increased 49%. Analyzed by speech therapy centres in Coimbatore.
 
Hearing aid centre Coimbatore


More research is needed
 

This was initial research and the only concrete finding was the need for more research. Regardless, we speech therapy for children are not surprised by the speech delay results. Many of the children are obsessed with the smartphones and iPads and if they are in sight it is very difficult to keep them motivated to do any other activity. Smartphone use definitely  seems to work against improving or promoting social language skills.
 

Note, this study looked at very young children.

Technology is great to motivate pre-schoolers and grade school children to learn (ex. preschoolers learning letters or grade school kids practicing math facts). In developing infants it sure seems to cause some trouble.

Hence it is important to take sensible decisions as parents to help your child progress.
 

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