Don’t use phones as babysitters, say docs

Lucknow: With parents increasingly using mobile phones and gadgets as babysitters, doctors say the habit is quietly affecting children's development. Clinics are seeing more children aged one to five years who speak less, avoid eye contact and struggle to focus, often after four or more hours of daily screen exposure.Dr Adarsh Tripathi, former faculty member in the psychiatry department at King George's Medical University (KGMU) who now runs a private clinic, recalled the case of a five-and-a-half-year-old child who spoke very little and had frequent tantrums. Both parents worked long hours and a caretaker managed the child's routine, leaving little interaction with adults. The child spent nearly six to eight hours a day in front of the television and mobile screens. The phenomenon is also termed as ‘virtual autism'. Doctors found severe delay in language development along with disturbed sleep and frequent irritability. "The child's world had quietly shrunk to a screen," Dr Tripathi said. Doctors advised the family to stop screen exposure and increase direct interaction. The mother took leave from work and began spending time talking and playing with him, also taking him to parks where he could meet other children. "Within 3-6 months, the child's communication and behaviour improved significantly," Dr Tripathi said, adding that reduced human interaction in early childhood can slow development.Head of the psychiatry department at KGMU Prof Vivek Agrawal said such cases are now appearing more frequently. "Three to four years ago, we would see one or two such cases occasionally. Now, five to six children with similar complaints are coming regularly to the OPD," he said. Doctors say early years are critical for brain development, as children learn mainly through interaction — watching faces, listening to voices and responding to people around them. "When a child spends long hours in front of a screen, that natural learning process is disrupted," Prof Agrawal said. Developmental psychologist Pragya Verma said the surge in screen exposure among young children accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, when family routines changed sharply. With schools, parks and daycare centres closed, and many parents working from home, children spent more time indoors with limited social interaction. In many households, phones and tablets became an easy way to keep children engaged while parents managed work and household responsibilities. "The pandemic quietly normalised screens as a daily tool for managing children," Verma said. "What began as a temporary arrangement during lockdowns continued even after restrictions were lifted." She added that prolonged exposure during the early developmental years started to interfere with how children learn to communicate, regulate emotions and interact with others. "It gave rise to such cases," she stressed. Paediatrician Dr Nishant Verma said the first five years of life are crucial for learning. "The brain develops fastest in these years. Children learn language, emotions and behaviour by observing parents and interacting with people around them. Screens cannot replace that environment," he said. Delayed speech is among the most common problems. Prof Pawan Kumar Gupta, faculty member in the psychiatry department at KGMU, said children exposed to long hours of videos often hear fewer real conversations.