SCREEN TIME AND LANGUAGE DELAY IN CHILDREN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN A SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRY
https://doi.org/10.22452/jummec.vol25no2.17
- Author:
Jing Kai See
1
;
Subhashini Jayanath
2
;
Mohamad Shafiq Azanan
2
Author Information
1. Department of Paediatrics, Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Jalan Tanah Putih, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
2. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
children;
language delay;
screen time;
Southeast Asia;
speech delay
- MeSH:
Child
- From:Journal of University of Malaya Medical Centre
2022;25(2):104-113
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background:This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study aimed to ascertain the: (1) prevalence of excessive screen device usage among children with speech and/or language delay, (2) age of first introduction of screen device(s), and (3) association between children’s total screen time and media parenting practices.
Methods:62 children aged 1-5 years who were referred for speech and/or language delay were recruited from a general paediatrics clinic. Data on children’s total screen time, age of exposure to screen device(s), parents’ total screen time and media parenting practices were collected.
Results:56 children (90.3%) had excessive screen time. There was a high prevalence of excessive screen time with early exposure to screen devices. A significant positive relationship was found between parents’ and children’s screen time (p=0.010). Children’s screen time was negatively associated with parental encouragement of non-screen activities (p=0.006) and positively associated with parental reduction of screen time as punishment (p=0.015).
Conclusions: Parents should model good screen time practices and create opportunities for non-screen based alternative activities within the home environment. Usage of screen time as a means of regulating behaviour should be discouraged.
- Full text:202508180918422248398846.pdf
