SPEECH DELAY AND VIRTUAL AUTISM ARE GROWING BECAUSE OF SMARTPHONE ADDICTION AMONG TODDLERS.
Most 18-month-olds are mini linguists with an impressive vocabulary of at least 50 words and an ability to string together mini sentences. Screen addiction has become rampant, not just among school-goers and teens but also among toddlers, across the country. Singapore recently banned babies under 18 months from looking at a device or television set. In September, Sweden too had disallowed screens for kids under two years. While no such bans have been mooted in India, it is high time we regulate screen use among kids here too.
MEALTIME MENACE:
The development of children has to happen through all five senses, but if they are just watching things in 2D all the time they are not able to make sense of the real, three-dimensional world. “Children’s ability to adapt to the outside world is compromised if they focus on the screen for too long. Not just that, their social interactions also do not develop very well.”
“When they are looking at the screen and eating they do not focus on the taste of food. Their taste buds do not develop properly and they are unable to comprehend their likes and dislikes.”
TALK TROUBLE:
A steep rise in the cases of speech delay because of screen exposure among toddlers in the past few years. Some kids are not even able to say basic words like ‘mama’, ‘papa’, and respond to their own name when called out. “Virtual addiction harms the kids because they do not see or observe the outside world and hence social cues and language do not develop.”
SOCIAL CHALLENGES:
A rise of ‘virtual autism’ among these days. This is in older kids but it happens because of screen addiction for a long time, mostly beginning in their early years. This is not autism perse, but children have autism-like features, mostly seen in kids who came back to school after the pandemic. “There is no diagnosis for this but what we saw in kids is that they wanted to stay away from the crowd, seemed very tired and did not make eye contact. These are all autism-like features.” These kids have grownup in a world that was isolated from the rest and as a result their social skills are very poor.
SOME SUCCEED:
While most parents are struggling, some are taking proactive steps to keep away from screens. For example, getting children in the kitchen even if they are making a mess to keep them occupied. Give some drawings on the walls to keep them busy. “This has started working positively.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR KIDS FROM PHONES:
- Keep devices out of your baby’s sight. Minimize your phone usage when home.
- Always carry a “busy bag” with books, crayons and sensory toys to keep your child engaged at restaurants and in the car.
- Read to your child daily so that they develop interest in books instead of screens.
- Let friends and family know that you wish you avoid screens so they don’t hand over a phone when you are away.
