How Screen time affects child development?

Blogs How Screen time affects child development? Mar 4, 2023 Deepa Aggarwal Blogs, Health, Kids How Screen time affects child development? This pandemic with one year of isolation from the actual world has lead to sudden surge in the mental health issues ,more so in children.Major part of child development depends on their social environment which was taken away from them due to pandemic.Though physical health issues definitely declined due to kids staying home and having home cooked meals but lack of socialization have impacted their mental health and still being ignored in fear of pandemic by parents.It’s time that parents realise ,learn to recognise early signs and symptoms and intervene at earliest! Major part of neural connections and wiring develop in first 6yrs of life more so in first 2 years.Amount of stimulation a child receive at early age has a direct impact on future IQ and EQ scores.

Sudden increase in number of children coming with hyperactivity and language delays (get to see at least one child daily in my opd)made me think the reasons of which increased screen time was consistently present in almost all kids along with other triggers! High levels of screen time in young children have been associated with sleep disturbances, obesity, behavioral problems and developmental delays. Research has found associations between excessive TV watching in young children and delays in social emotional, language and cognitive delays. American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that in children under age 2, watching too much screen (more than 2hrs) can actually delay language development and cause attention and sleep problems .

What are the consequences of too much screen time

Physical strain to your eyes and body.
Sleep deprivation.
Increased risk of obesity.
Susceptibility to chronic health conditions.
Loss of cognitive ability and Impaired socialising skills.
Weakened emotional judgment.
Delayed learning in young children

How much screen time is OK?
Maximum recommended screen time for a toddler is no more than half an hour in a day ,that too an interactive session involving parents!

How Screen time causes language delay?
Children learn to talk and communicate through interactions with other people. Videos do not replace person-to-person interactions for teaching language or communication.
The first several years of life are crucial for your child’s language development. It is when their brain is the most receptive and building neural connections to learn everything around them be it a new language or skill.It is building communication pathways that will be with them for the rest of their lives and decide their future IQ and EQ scores.

Is screen only responsible for my child’s language delay?
There is no way to tell if too much screen time caused your child’s speech delay or language problems. Most likely, it is a combination of factors, which need to adressed and taken care of at the earliest. But surely, continued overuse of screen time could be making your child’s language delay worse or keeping it from getting better.

My child is addicted to screen .How to remove that?
Its unreasonable to expect change overnight.Go slow gradual and most important be persistent.
1. Start by setting some rules about the screens.
*Limit maximum time per session or number of screen session per day.
*Set parameters on what types of screens or uses your child is allowed to watch, such as what shows or what devices.
2. Go slow on decreasing the screen time till you reach the desired limit.
3.Involve the child in alternative activities during the time they watch screen.
4.Cowatch whenever possible…If children are going to have screen time, the best thing you can do is to watch the show or game with them to help them understand what they’re seeing. Comment on things you notice and make it interactive.

What are the alternatives to screen time
Talk with your child. Tell them some fun stories from your childhood.
Sing and dance on favourite rhymes or songs
Read a book
Play with your child’s favorite toy or simple games like peek a boo
Pretend play or role play
Color a picture or make a craft
Work on some school project
Go for a walk
Take your child to a park
Go for a car ride and talk about what you see around
Go to the library and look for books on a topic that interests your child
Play a board game
Teach your child a new skill
Teach or practice a sport /workout
Ride bikes
Organise play date
Cook something in the kitchen together
Try hands at gardening

Lastly emphasize on good sleep, healthy nutrition, and exercise as this is what is essential for optimal brain growth and development of children