In this era, children's communication skills are also influenced by gadgets

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The ability to speak is often considered something that will develop naturally as a child grows older. As long as a child can utter simple words, many parents feel there is no cause for concern. However, several studies in recent years have shown that language development is determined not only by age but also by the quality of interaction a child receives from an early age.

Amidst the increasingly massive use of gadgets, these spaces for interaction are gradually undergoing changes. Conversations that were once a natural part of family life now increasingly share space with screens. Children are growing up in an environment filled with short videos, games, and various forms of digital entertainment that can be accessed at any time. While technology offers convenience, it simultaneously presents new challenges to the development of their communication skills.

This phenomenon is not merely a theoretical concern. Data from the Indonesian Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) 2024 shows that 39.71 per cent of early childhood in Indonesia has used mobile phones, while 35.57 per cent have accessed the internet. Even in the age group below one year, 5.88 per cent of children are recorded to have been exposed to gadgets.

This figure increases to 37.02 per cent for the 1 to 4-year-old age group and reaches 58.25 per cent for those aged 5 to 6 years.

Late Generation Z and Generation Alpha are indeed receiving exposure to digital technology much earlier than previous generations. For some families, gadgets have become a part of daily life since toddlerhood.

This condition is reinforced by a survey from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), which found that more than 70 per cent of school-aged children already possess personal gadgets. Most use them for playing games and accessing digital entertainment. At the same time, the State of Mobile 2024 report from Data.AI places Indonesia as one of the countries with the highest duration of gadget usage in the world, with an average usage of more than six hours per day.

This data is crucial to interpret in the context of child development. The earlier and longer the screen exposure occurs, the greater the likelihood of reduced time available for direct verbal interaction.

For early childhood, this issue is extremely crucial because the period from 0 to 3 years is the most important phase in language development. During this time, the brain builds the foundation for the ability to hear, understand, and produce language through interaction with the people around them.

Various studies show a consistent link between excessive screen time duration and delays in language development. A study published in GSC Advanced Research and Reviews in 202ss found that children aged 1 to 2 years who spend more than two hours a day in front of a screen have a much higher risk of speech delay compared to children with more limited exposure.

Similar findings also emerged in research cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The research shows that every additional 30 minutes of screen time per day correlates with an increased risk of speech delay in early childhood. Meanwhile, a survey published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that infants aged 8 to 16 months who are more frequently exposed to screens tend to have a smaller vocabulary compared to their peers.