Exposure to electronic media was negatively associated with speech and language development at 18 and 24 months

Mobile device screen time is associated with poorer language development among toddlers: results from a large-scale survey

BACKGROUND

Despite young children's widespread use of mobile devices, little research exists on this use and its association with children's language development. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between mobile device screen time and language comprehension and expressive language skills. An additional aim was to examine whether three factors related to the domestic learning environment modify the associations.

METHODS

The study uses data from the Danish large-scale survey TRACES among two- and three-year-old children (n = 31,125). Mobile device screen time was measured as time spent on mobile devices on a normal day. Measurement of language comprehension and expressive language skills was based on subscales from the Five to Fifteen Toddlers questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between child mobile device screen time and language development and logistic regression to examine the risk of experiencing significant language difficulties. Joint exposure analyses were used to examine the association between child mobile device screen time and language development difficulties in combination with three other factors related to the domestic learning environment: parental education, reading to the child and child TV/PC screen time.

RESULTS

High mobile device screen time of one hour or more per day was significantly associated with poorer language development scores and higher odds for both language comprehension difficulties (1-2 h: AOR = 1.30; ≥ 2 h: AOR = 1.42) and expressive language skills difficulties (1-2 h: AOR = 1.19; ≥ 2 h: AOR = 1.46). The results suggest that reading frequently to the child partly buffers the negative effect of high mobile device screen time on language comprehension difficulties but not on expressive language skills difficulties. No modifying effect of parental education and time spent by the child on TV/PC was found.

CONCLUSIONS

Mobile device screen time of one hour or more per day is associated with poorer language development among toddlers. Reading frequently to the child may have a buffering effect on language comprehension difficulties but not on expressive language skills difficulties.

Use of digital devices, family functioning, and language development in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the use of digital devices, family function, and language development in preschool children.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study included a sample of 93 parent-child dyads. The children were of an average age of 57.01 ± 9.95 months, and the majority were female. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire on the use of digital devices, the Portuguese version of the Family Flexibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scale - Version IV (FACES-IV), and a Preschool Language Test (TL-ALPE).

RESULTS

The findings showed a greater tendency of children to use smartphones, tablets, and television for 0-3 hours daily. The analysis of the responses on the FACES-IV and TL-ALPE instruments showed that most of the participating families were of the balanced type and that most children had normal language development. Statistically significant relationships were found between the FACES-IV subscales and TL-ALPE subtests, FACES-IV subscales and the use of digital devices, and the use of digital devices and TL-ALPE subtests. Notably, children in more balanced family functioning scored higher on TL-ALPE tests, and the time spent using digital devices may compromise language development.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the impact of digital device use and the role of family functioning on children's language development, suggesting that moderate digital device use and balanced family functioning are facilitating factors for good language development.

Relationship Between Speech Delay and Smart Media in Children: A Systematic Review

The increasing prevalence of smart media usage among children has raised concerns about its potential impact on various aspects of child development. One such area of worry is speech delay, as early language acquisition is critical for cognitive, social, and educational development. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate and synthesize available research data in order to determine the association between speech delay and the usage of smart media in children. To perform this systematic review, a thorough literature search was conducted using relevant keywords in electronic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Embase. We included studies published during the last 10 years investigating the impact of smart media on children's speech delay using various research designs. The findings showed that extended exposure to electronic media for children was negatively associated with expressive vocabulary and language skills in children, in addition to decreased language scores and speech delays. Educational apps and shared media engagement with parents correlated with stronger language skills. The introduction of smart devices at a later stage of development (24 months of age and older) was associated with positive language development, whereas early introduction was associated with speech delay. However, six-month abstinence from devices led to speech improvement in the affected children. These findings highlight the need to balance interactive screen time and other forms of interaction to enhance speech development.

Increase in children with developmental delay: Survey on 18-month-old children in Togane city, Japan

BACKGROUND

Individuals who visit hospitals with neurodevelopmental disorders have recently increased. To locate the cause for this increase, various factors, such as environmental and genetic ones, are being investigated. The objective of this study is to analyze the developmental delay in children and their background.

METHODS

The participants were children who underwent the checkup for 18-month-old children in Togane city, Japan, from 2011 to 2021; 4,145 children-2,147 boys and 1,998 girls with a mean age of 18.8 months-were included. To examine the tendency over time and the background, we used the questionnaire about development and lifestyle reported by parents.

RESULTS

The number of children who did not produce pointing gestures or respond to their names and low-volume sounds tended to increase over the survey period (p = 0.0125, p = 0.0435, p = 0.0275). Next, we examined the relationship between pointing gestures and lifestyle and found that there was a relationship between attending a nursery school and bedtime and pointing gestures.

CONCLUSION

A slow developmental trend over the last decade has been observed among children. The background was related to attending a nursery school and bedtime, suggesting that interaction with others and sleep are important for the development of children.

Screen Time of Preschool-Aged Children and Their Mothers, and Children's Language Development

Although children’s increased screen time has been found to associate with poorer language development, it is open to question which part of language ability screen time specifically associates with. Our aim was to examine the association between children’s screen time (alone and together with a parent), mothers’ screen time, and the different domains of children’s language skills. Mothers reported their children’s (N = 164, aged 2.5 to 4.1 years) screen time and their own on a weekday and a day off. Children’s lexical, phonological, morphological, receptive, and general language abilities were measured using validated tests. The connections between children’s and mothers’ screen time and children’s language skills were analyzed using correlation analyses and linear regression models. The more the children used screen time alone, or the greater the amount of the mothers’ screen time, the weaker the children’s lexical and general language abilities when the children’s age, maternal education level, and birth order were controlled for. We also found cumulative, negative links to the children’s lexical and general language abilities when the amount of their screen time alone and the amount of the mothers’ screen time were simultaneously included in the regression model. The results suggest that it is important to restrict both children’s screen time spent alone and mothers’ screen time.