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Screen time may be causing speech delay in children: Study
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A study found that the longer infants and children between 6 months and 2 years spent in front of a handheld screen, the more likely they were to have a delay in speech development. (Shutterstock/File)
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s children today grow in a technology-riddled world, they tend to spend more and more time in front of screens. But according to a recent study, that may not be the best thing for them.
Originally presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, it was found that the longer infants and children between 6 months and 2 years spent in front of a handheld screen, the more likely they were to experience a delay in speech development.
The study looked at 900 children, whose parents reported their amount of time in front of screens per day. Then, researchers assessed the children's language development, monitoring factors such as whether the children used sounds or words to get attention or help, and how many words they used.
It was found that 20 percent of children spent an average of half an hour with a screen, and that every 30-minute increase in screen time correlated with a 49 percent increased risk of “expressive speech delay.”
Pediatrician and scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Dr. Catherine Birken, told CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/04/health/babies-screen-time-speech-delays-study/): "I believe it's the first study to examine mobile media device and communication delay in children.”
Read also: Technology may be keeping your children awake
Birken, who was also the study's senior investigator, still stressed that more studies are needed on the topic.
"I think in order to actually develop the evidence to inform parents and clinicians about what to recommend, we need more definitive research," she said.
"You need trials. You need good evidence, at least longitudinal studies, but this finding, at least, is identifying an association and it does support the current recommendation,” she added, referring to the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"This is an important study in highlighting some of the potential risks associated with media use, and specifically handheld mobile devices," Michael Robb, research director for non-profit organization Common Sense Media, told CNN via email.
"What's driving the effect is very important. The negative effects may be due to screen time replacing parent-child interaction [playing, reading, talking, singing, etc.] which are critical for healthy development.” (sul/kes)
