Abuja: Early, prolonged screen exposure may contribute to childhood speech delay, especially as clinicians now see more cases compared with a decade ago, a Paediatrician, Dr Leo Odudu, has warned. Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Odudu linked rising speech delays to widespread smartphone, tablet, and TV use, describing screens as ‘the great pacifier’ when parents substitute devices for direct communication and teaching.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, clinicians are increasingly managing children with speech delay, unlike 10 to 15 years ago, noting that studies showed that four to five per cent of children under four years globally had speech delay from different causes. He explained that language development begins in infancy through babbling and caregiver interaction, with meaningful words expected around twelve months and rapid vocabulary growth between twelve and eighteen months.
He said concerns included poor articulation, limited vocabulary, and unrealistic expectations by parents comparing children with siblings or neighbours. ‘Researchers note excessive screen time can impair brain white matter development, confuse emerging language patterns, and produce poor articulation, limited vocabulary, weakened attention, and social interaction difficulties,’ Odudu added.
The paediatrician said speech delay was previously linked mainly to birth asphyxia, severe jaundice, and congenital syndromic defects. He said children with normal birth histories were now increasingly presenting with delayed speech development. Odudu identified early exposure to smartphones, tablets, computers, and other screens as a common factor in many cases.
He emphasized that digital devices supported education, communication, work, and information access but could be harmful when misused by children. He reiterated that language development begins in infancy through babbling and cooing during the first three months of life. Children should begin saying meaningful words at about 12 months and develop 10 to 50 words between 12 and 18 months.
According to him, children learn language through hearing, repetition, interaction, and communication with parents and caregivers. Odudu said some parents relied on cartoons and educational videos instead of serving as their children’s primary language teachers. He warned that prolonged screen exposure increased speech delay risks, with some infants spending four to six hours daily on screens.
Odudu highlighted that excessive screen use had been linked to impaired white matter development affecting language and literacy networks in the brain. The effects of excessive screen exposure could persist until children were about eight years old. He mentioned that children exposed heavily to cartoons could become confused by cartoon language, local dialects, Nigerian English, and cr¨che communication styles, making it difficult for the developing brain to process and adopt a communication pattern.
Odudu noted that children in rural communities with limited gadget exposure often acquired local dialects easily and communicated effectively by age two. He identified poor social interaction, tantrums, weak attention span, and difficulty with group play as other consequences of excessive screen exposure. Some children ignored their names but responded immediately to favourite cartoon sounds, causing concerns about hearing impairment.
The paediatrician mentioned that countries including Australia and the UK had introduced policies to restrict children’s access to social media and mobile phones in schools. Odudu emphasized global efforts increasingly focused on reducing children’s contact with gadgets to support healthy development. He cautioned against readily diagnosing children with autism spectrum disorders without considering their need for more interaction with parents and siblings.
He urged parents to reduce children’s unnecessary screen exposure and communicate with them regularly. Odudu advised parents to read to their children and speak the language they wanted them to acquire. He acknowledged that phones and tablets remained valuable educational tools but their misuse posed risks to children’s intellectual, social, and psychological development.
Sharing recovery stories after reducing screen use, some parents noted improvements in their children’s speech, response to names, and social engagement. A mother of two, Mrs Blessing Okafor, shared that her first child became unusually quiet after prolonged cartoon viewing on a mobile phone. After consulting a health worker, the family reduced the child’s screen time and introduced talking, reading, outdoor play, and family interaction, leading to improved speech and responsiveness.
Another parent, Mr Chinedu Eze, reported that his daughter’s speech improved after the family stopped allowing her to watch videos during meals and before bedtime. The family replaced screen time with bedtime stories, songs, picture books, and conversations about the child’s day, realizing the child needed more verbal interaction.