To Prevent Speech Delay in Children, Reduce Gadget Play and Increase Conventional Toys

To prevent children from experiencing speech delays, reduce the use of gadgets and increase engagement with conventional toys.

To Prevent Speech Delay in Children, Reduce Gadget Play and Increase Conventional Toys

Dream - In recent years, especially after the pandemic, many parents have complained about their toddlers who have not yet spoken clearly. This of course raises concerns.

It is undeniable that there are more and more children who experience speech delay or speech delay and need to undergo special therapy. It should be noted that children between the ages of 12 and 18 months, normally already speak about 20 words or more.

Then between 2-3 years, his vocabulary will increase and when it's already over 3 years old, his speech will become more fluent and clear. If the child still doesn't speak clearly, with articulation that is difficult to understand, don't hesitate to consult with a child growth doctor.

"At the age of around 12 to 18 months, babies should be able to speak at least 20 words or more. Between the ages of 2-3 years, the little one's vocabulary continues to grow. They begin to understand when parents communicate words directed towards them."

Entering the age of 3 years, a child's speaking ability can be said to be fluent. Children who experience speech delay may be due to multiple factors. One of them is too often playing with gadgets, being exposed to technology toys with lights and computers. According to research published in the Journal of JAMA Pediatrics, children who play more with electronic games or gadgets, and not conventional toys, tend to experience a decrease in the quality and quantity of language.

"For babies and toddlers, the benefits of playing are very wide. Playing provides opportunities to develop cognitive skills, social skills, abstract thinking, motor skills, and much more. This helps children develop more rapidly," said Heidi Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., head of the pediatric developmental-behavioral division at Stanford University School of Medicine."

"If it concerns the language development of children, according to Feldman, there are better toys, especially traditional and simple toys that allow children to train their creativity."

Toys like building blocks, dolls, toy cars, encourage children to speak on their own, engage in conversations, and stimulate their imagination. "Imaginative play helps babies generate new ideas," says Laura Phillips, PsyD, ABPdN, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute. She mentions that one of the best types of toys for brain development is wooden blocks. Blocks not only enhance their fine motor skills but also encourage problem-solving and imagination.

"Technology Toys, Good or Bad?"

To conduct research in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers observed parents and their infants (aged 10 and 16 months) playing at home. They noticed a decrease in verbal interaction between parents and children when electronic toys were present. Infants who played with books and more traditional objects, such as wooden blocks, tended to engage in more "conversation" with their parents.

"Research shows that children acquire more vocabulary when speaking with their parents compared to listening to eBooks or YouTube. Early-age children learn best through human interaction, not with iPads, video games, and other flashy technological objects," said Dr. Philips.

"He also explained that technology toys do not have the same developmental benefits as conventional toys. "It takes more effort and fine motor control to draw with crayons on coloring paper compared to using a finger on a tablet," said Dr. Philips. Technology-based toys also limit creativity because they do not inspire children to imagine. Giving children wooden blocks or other analog toys requires them to interact using their senses and imagination."

Every child's game that develops imagination is also an opportunity to learn, and the more often a child plays with their imagination, the better their language skills and other developments will be. Source: Parents

parenting

Frequently Encountering Demotivation? Here are 6 Tips You Can Try

There are several things that mothers can do at home when their child is experiencing demotivation.