Opinion | Excessive use of smart phones among Children may lead to Speech Deficiency

The role of Grand Parents (Dada Daadi’s) in upbringing of small children and crooning lullaby to them at the time of sleeping is permanently at present taken over by the smart phones. Preferring smart phones to children so that they may remain busy and we will continue our routine work is now becoming a life style. We have witnessed in different occasions, like Marriage ceremonies, Family Get-Together, functions and other programs, phones are being handover to kids, and adults are enjoying. Isn’t this a dangerous concern of Life? Who will come and Guide us?

The early stage of Life plays an important role in the development of the child. It is the time in which essential development takes place. One of it is being the speech development.
A recent study by a reporter of “Kashmir Life’s IQRA AKHOON” while talking to Doctors and parents that four to five children with speech delays, as a result of excessive use of smart phones are seen at the District Early Intervention Centre at the Govt’s G.B. Pant hospital on daily basis.

Speech development basically requires eye contact between the child and the parents/caretaker, as the child then tries to imitate and pick up the lip and facial movements on his own.Every time you talk to a child, even before the child can talk back, Language learning is happening on multiple level: The child is taking in words, vocal intonation, gestures and facial expressions__ all the while connecting dots between these things and what they mean. A child gets none of these enriching experience when he is involved with an electronic device. When a child is using smart phone the phone dictates where he should place his attention, and the child immediately stops noticing what is happening around him. Over some time, this can weaken his ability to take in and filter information, as well as switch attention from one task to another. This further damages its ability to focus on words, and its utterance. This can also hinder the children’s language and social development, partly because they reduce human-to-human interaction.
Excessive use of smart phones may also reduce eye contact with the adults. As kids generally find more pleasure in watching videos and tend to lose interest in human interactions. Eye contact is an important aspect of building any relationship. By this we develop an ability to read others _and _ourselves_through our interactions with fellow beings. Children with excessive use of smart phones are generally seen to deal with short attention span.

New studies also suggest that an hour a day spent with the smart phones plays a significant part in the rise of depression and anxiety among children. Kids and teens who are excessively using smart phones tend to have low self-esteem,anxiety,depression,and poor quality sleep. This gives rise to many other problems like loss of concentration and learning issues. We humans are social animals and the desire for communication was the main reason behind the evolution of language. Language plays a very imperative role in human life.It is a way of communicating and expressing our thoughts, ideas, emotions, desires, personal interest etc. It also supports thinking and problem-solving , developing and maintaining relationships. Language development is one of the critical parts of child development. The first 12 months of a child’s life , lay foundation for speech and language development. Children keep developing language skills at an amazing rate in the first three years of life.

Where the problem lies?
Many parents have the experience of trying to limit their child’s tantrum or the negative feedback only to be treated through phone excess. Wanting to avoid these situations parents lets the child have the phone. It may give rise to problems like:
Delayed Language and social development
No physical activity resulting in the risk of obesity and restlessness in children.
Cognitive delays in severe cases
Children may also suffer from behavioral problems
Remedial Measures/ Rescue
Parents have to practically become role models for their kids, They must first try to make a check on their own devise use. Kids imitate their parents so we need to bring a change in oneself first.
Instead of handling over a phone, try to sing a rhyme for your kid when he throws tantrums
Try to give spend time with your kids, making a smiling eye contact while talking to them.
Involve them in storytelling and rhymes to enrich their vocabulary.
Try to play with them which will expand a child’s creativity and imagination. He will acquire new skills and will learn to interact with his environment.
Engage them in variety of activities like block-Building, Role Playing etc.
Take them outdoors which will extend their horizon and enrich them with sensory experiences.

Author is a Teacher at Girls Model Higher Secondary School Handwara and can be reached at javeedwrites378@gmail.com