Screen Time and Its Effect on Language Development in Children
TV's, tablets, and telephones – OH MY!
We have them in our homes and use them on a regular basis. In fact, many of our jobs and daily routines rely on these devices.
Is your child addicted to screen time? Do they often tantrum when it is time to take the device away? We get it. Our life is in constant motion – at a very fast pace. As caregivers, we need that half hour of uninterrupted time to prepare a meal or take care of household chores.
So what is the big deal?
Too often, children are diagnosed with mixed receptive and expressive language delays that are brought on by excessive screen time. With screen time, we take away meaningful opportunities to build language such as conversational turn taking, eye contact, and other social skills. In many instances, children will even begin to “sound like” their favorite animated character or use scripted lines from their favorite show – imitating the inflection in their voices.
Prolonged use of hand held screen time in children can greatly affect their global language development. In a study conducted by pediatrician, Catherine Birken, at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, she revealed that for every 30 minutes of hand held screen time, there was a 49% increased risk of an expressive language delay. SCARY!
How much screen time is recommended?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for infants and toddlers under the age of 18 months. For children 18 months through age five, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1 hour a day of handheld screen time.
What can you do instead?
• Involve your child in your activities of daily living such as laundry, meal prep, and cleaning. Perhaps you may let them help you by sorting the laundry by color or add ingredients to a meal you are cooking. Throughout these activities, it is important to narrate your environment. You can do this by labeling items and explained what you are doing.
• Instead of bringing out the tablet or phone at a restaurant or social gathering to occupy your little one, you may plan ahead to bring a few activities that can be done at the table top. Play Doh, crayons and paper, and small “fidget” type items can be easily stored in a diaper bag or purse.
• Instead of charging your child’s tablet to 100%, try charging to 5-10%. Often, when a tablet runs out of battery, the child will let it go on their own.
• During use of screen time, set a timer in your home. You may even include your child in pressing “start”. Once the timer goes off – no more screen time.
• Use first/then language. This way – they know what is coming next. For example, “First ten minutes of Paw Patrol, then bath time”.
• Many tablets allow guided access in which the caregiver can set a timer within the device. The tablet will be automatically locked once the timer goes off.
For more information please visit here and here.
Please feel free to contact one of our speech-language pathologists directly with questions regarding screen time. We are here to support you!
Alyssa Bloxam, MA, CCC-SLP
Co-Founder/Director of Operations, Speech-Language Pathologist
alyssa@collaborativecorner.org