Next time you give your mobile phone to a toddler, think again. You could be the one who kills their chance for a healthy, normal childhood.
- Emerging threat to children
We live in a digital era where we cannot imagine how life would be without a cellphone, laptop or a tablet. In fact, most young parents use these digital devices to calm their babies down, from playing nursery rhymes to watching cartoons. Almost every day we hear stories about how toddlers are smart enough to unlock mobiles and open applications on their own. All these, sound like signs of an intellectual generation, yet according to child psychologists, this indeed, is the direct opposite of what we expect.
- What is Virtual Autism?
According to several studies* conducted among children between 0-4 years, it has been revealed that toddlers who spend too much time in front of screens such as TV, mobile phones, tablets and computers, tend to develop symptoms similar to Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). One-year old’s viewing screens are at a 4.2% greater risk of getting Autism-like symptoms, than kids playing with family as revealed by a recent research. Pediatricians also state that too much on-screen time prevents brain development and create behavioral problems during early childhood.
- Symptoms of Virtual Autism
Virtual Autism is believed to generate similar indications as ASD, which generally revolves around child development milestones. Children affected by virtual Autism mainly tend to avoid eye contact, do not respond when their name is being called, have considerably low attention spans, and may become oblivious to the surroundings even when they are in company. Mostly these signs are visible to their parents, child sitters or pre-school teachers specially when they are playing with friends or peers.
- How can you protect your tiny tots?
The good news is, if you identify these symptoms in your toddler, you may still have a chance for a fast recovery. Child psychologists advice to limit the daily on-screen time as much as possible and add a human association periodically to create a distraction and boost social processing pathways. Establishing rules regarding TV and other digital devices helps to control your child and rewarding your little darling when he or she adheres these rules helps to have a positive effect on their behavior. Furthermore, as loving parents, we need to reserve a part of our day to bond with children and spend quality time which will not only help to develop healthy relationships, but also present you with a greater work-life balance.
- Activities for positive growth
Child specialists state that adding more interaction to your toddler’s life will make him/her stay away from the screen. Fun games such as flash cards, arts and crafts, sing-alongs, role plays, and storytelling are seen as effective ways of cultivating creativity in a toddler while adding the element of excitement into their lives. Physical activities like field trips, picnics, mini sports events will develop your child’s overall motor skills while aiding his/her physical growth.
