Playing with smartphones hinder toddler's brain development

Washington:Parents, note! Better keep yoursmartphone away from the reach of your kids.Toddlers who play with smartphones are at an increasedrisk of impeding their brain development, experts have warned.

According to a new study, 25 per cent of kids as old astwo years old and younger have their own smartphones, whichparents say is used as a learning tool for their kids, 'CBSNews' reported.

However, experts say it is too young for children to beutilising this type of technology and that the kids are notlearning but are just being given the phone as a distraction.

[caption id="attachment_1009407" align="alignleft" width="380"] Stock image of smartphone.[/caption]

Experts are concerned because this type of smartphone use,at such a young age, can impede early development in areasthat would impact the child for the rest of their lives.

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Since childhood is a time for serious brain development,children could face problems with their basic social, verbaland learning skills.Psychiatrist Gail Saltz told the "CBS This Morning:Saturday" that this type of smartphone use could actually hurtthe child and that "this is really for babysitting purposes orthe fear that your child can't be bored."

"These years are the years that you need to be developingvocabulary, which means speaking and listening, so if you'reengaged in a gadget, you're really minimising that," she said.

"We've seen all kinds of data now on play and howimportant it is to, frankly, be bored and be stimulated to doimaginative play, what that does for building creativity," shesaid.

Saltz said that parents should realise that a smartphoneis "structured time" and does not allow for free thinking.

PTI