Is Technology Rewiring Your Baby’s Brain? No Need to Worry If You Answer ‘Yes’ to These Six Questions by Carolyn Jabs
It’s a rule nearly every parent breaks. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children younger than age 2 have no exposure to screens. l That guideline was hard enough to follow when it applied to background TV and baby videos. Now, very young children are reaching for smartphones and tablets. Some experts argue that these screens are different because they are interactive, but no one knows because there’s been no research. l What scientists do know is that baby brains grow dramatically. At birth, each baby brain cell has about 2,500 synapses or connections to other brain cells. Around age 3, each brain cell has 15,000 connections. The AAP argues that there’s no reason to take chances with that development. l The AAP’s study examined the effect of children younger than age 2 being placed near a television. Those children had delayed speech development, and for every hour spent with a TV, the children spent 11 percent less time in creative play. l Since you can’t see what’s happening in your baby’s brain, you’ll need other indicators to be sure development is on track. Here are a few questions worth asking: 22 Atlanta Parent September 2013
YES
NO
Is your child excited to play with you? Experts agree that a deep connection with parents is crucial during the first two years of life. Early interactions in which children learn to make and break eye contact or to take turns making sounds become the foundation for emotional intelligence. Having face-toface fun with your baby sets up a lifelong assumption that interacting with people is rewarding.
YES
NO
Do people talk to your child – a lot? Research done in the 1990s demonstrated that babies who hear around 2,000 words per hour do better in school and have higher IQ’s. That’s because the language centers of the brain are especially absorbent during the first three years. Recorded words don’t make much of an impression. Language needs to be tailored to the child, responsive both to what she is doing and her emotions. Parents, of course, aren’t the only ones who should be talking to babies. Be sure other caregivers are aware of how important it is to use language with children who seem like they are too young to understand.
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