How often do you sit with your baby in front of the television or handheld devices so that you can drink that coffee in peace, get your child to eat or even get a few minutes of shut-eye?
It is a full-time job to take care of babies when they are toddlers and the amount of time spent can drive any person to crankiness.
Considering the easy accessibility of entertainment on a screen, they help a ton in keeping your child busy while you finish some other important task.
Dr. Birken’s study, which was revealed at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in 2017, suggests that children under two years can face speech delay if they spend too much time with smartphones, tablets, and other such devices. Many pediatricians in Sharjah often quote Dr. Catherine Birken and her findings. The study involved 894 children whose age fell between six months and two years. For every extra 30 minutes on a screen, as revealed in the study, the risk of expressive speech delay increased by 49%.
As per the best pediatricians in Sharjah parents often worry about losing out on educational opportunities if they don’t grant sufficient access to devices to their children. Several pediatric neurologists in Sharjah clarify that the study’s conclusions are not a definitive diagnosis. Birken confirms that her research doesn’t establish cause and effect, but talks about probable risks.
However, it’s better to encourage other teaching tools, like books, conversation, and interaction with family members along with the supervised use of electronic media to ensure the child’s intellectual growth.
Specialist Pediatrician
