Screen Time & Speech Delays: The Cost of Digital Babysitting
The rise in screen time among toddlers has become a pressing concern for parents everywhere. Many express their worry that their little ones seem glued to screens, showing little interest in any other activity. This obsession isn’t without consequences, prolonged screen exposure poses serious risks to a child’s eyesight, brain development, and behavioural tendencies. But what is it about these screens, particularly for children below 2 years of age that makes them so irresistibly addictive? The wildly popular YouTube channel ‘Cocomelon’, has the second highest number of views globally and for the kids, it’s their most favourite channel to watch animated videos. It’s content is famous for captivating toddlers to the point where they can’t look away. Around us, we often see kids glued to screens watching Cocomelon videos for hours with undivided attention without getting bored. The creators of Cocomelon have employed certain tactics that are scientifically designed...