Link Found Between Screen Time and Language Delay

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In a recent article released in the American Speech Language and Hearing Associations journal it was found that children who use handheld screens (e.g. smartphones, tablets and electronic games) before they begin to talk may be at higher risk for speech delays. This research was presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting.

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The study examined 894 children (ages 6 months to 2 years), between 2011 and 2015. By 18-months of age, it was shown that 20 percent of the children in the study had exposure to devices for up to 28 minutes/day as reported by their parents. The researchers found that the more handheld screen time a child’s parent reported, the more likely the child was to have expressive speech delays. Each 30-minute increase in handheld screen time translated into a 49 percent increased risk of expressive speech delay. 

Learn more about the findings in the full ASHA article.

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Jody Vaynshtok

Jody is a California-licensed speech language pathologist with eight years of industry and clinical experience. She has worked with both adult and pediatric populations during her time at private practice, birth-to-three, and hospital facilities. She is experienced in the assessment and treatment of a variety of communication and cognitive disorders. In addition, Jody has a passion for working with adults looking to achieve clearer communication. Jody received her BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences and MS in Medical Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Washington. She was a part of the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford’s cleft and craniofacial clinic participating in the multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of children born with craniofacial abnormalities. She holds a staff position at UCSF and is the lead speech language pathologist for the department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s Hearing Loss Clinic. When she's not busy having fun with her clients Jody enjoys spending time with her husband, Anton, friends and family. And if she's not headed out somewhere fun for dinner, you might find her at Bar Method working out!