INTERFERENCE IN LANGUAGE DELAY CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME

Abstract

Screen use in childhood has been increasingly discussed because of its possible effects on children’s speech and communication (Karani, Sher and Mophosho, 2022; Alamri et al., 2023). When smartphones, tablets, and television take up much of a child’s routine, important moments of conversation, play, and social interaction may be missed, even though these experiences are essential for learning how to communicate (Sundqvist et al., 2021; Alroqi, Serratrice and Cameron-Faulkner, 2023). This study aims to analyze the relationship between screen time and language delay in children, also considering the type of content and family involvement. This is a bibliographic, descriptive, and qualitative study based on scientific articles published in the last five years. The studies analyzed show that prolonged use of these devices may reduce interaction with caregivers, increase the risk of speech delay, and harm other important areas of development, such as attention, socialization, and cognition (Takahashi et al., 2023; Varadarajan et al., 2021; Ribner et al., 2024). Therefore, preventing this problem involves balanced technology use, family participation, and attention to early signs, with speech therapy support when necessary (Monteiro et al., 2024; Brushe et al., 2024).