Handing your baby a phone or tablet to play with may seem like a harmless solution when you're busy, but it could quickly affect their development, a new study has found.
Having anywhere from one to four hours of screen time per day at age 1 is linked with higher risks of developmental delays in communication, fine motor, problem-solving and personal and social skills by age 2, according to"It's a really important study because it has a very large sample size of children who've been followed for several years," said Dr.
By age 2, those who had had up to four hours of screen time per day were up to three times more likely to experience developmental delays in communication and problem-solving skills. Very often, if they're just watching a screen, they're not having an opportunity to practice talking.Technology use can take time away from interpersonal relationships that nurture social skills since real people are more multidimensional than characters on a screen, Hutton added. Looking at people's faces is when our brains turn on to figure out how to interact with them.
There are other factors that can affect a child's development, such as genetics, adverse experiences such as neglect or abuse, and socioeconomic factors, Nagata said. "The other question that's always really important is, is the parent watching with the child?" Hutton said. "When a parent is watching with a child, that tends to mitigate a lot of the negatives."If you need to keep your toddler busy so you can get things done or have some solitude, try giving them a book, coloring materials or toys, experts said. They can even sometimes enjoy these activities while secured in a highchair.
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