As a parent, it is hard to limit the influence of modern technology in our children's lives because of the high presence electronics have in our society. A new study presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting says there may be alarming effects on giving your child too much screen time. Research found for every 30-minute increase in daily screen time, there was a 49% increased risk in speech development in children ages six months to two years. This can cause "expressive speech delay"- otherwise known as using sounds and words.
Dr. Catherine Birken stands by this research, but also points out that many more studies need to be done to have a definitive say that these devices are causing speech delays. She still stands by the fact that children younger than 18 months of age should avoid the use of all screen-media, other than video-chatting. Birken also expressed the importance of choosing high-quality programming, such as Sesame Street or other educational shows if you chose to introduce your child to the digital world.