Speech therapy for kids hooked to phones

Chennai: Lack of development among children attributed to the lack of social interaction, over dependence on gadgets, and over-protectiveness of parents has led to parents reaching out for speech therapy for their kids at young ages, doctors say.

According to doctors, poor parenting is the main reason, leading to speech delay among children as parents aim at fulfilling every need of a child these days.

Dr. Pankaj Kumar, an occupational therapist, said: “Kids with clinical conditions like Down’s syndrome, Asperger Syndrome, Rett’s syndrome are those who commonly come to me. But there are kids without any problems but having speech issues who visit for occupational therapy. Kids as young as two, who are hooked onto phones and refusing to speak with anyone, also come here for therapy.”

Over the years, he added that he has seen an increase in the number of kids brought to him for speech therapies. “From 2007, when I started, there were about seven kids coming for therapy to me and now there are 50 kids at my institution,” he said.

He added that as children were busy with their gadgets, visual stimulation attracts the child’s mind. It lacks outer world reality, which develops into pervasive development disorder. Games and videos are more colourful and attractive than the real world, which is why parents should allow them to play in parks and on streets rather than expose them to latest gadgets, the therapist added. Doctors and psychologists say that at least until the age of 5, a child should have 90% of exposure to nature.

Natasha (name changed), a three-year-old intelligent girl with problems in speech development approached the doctor for therapy. “She was trained in using the gadget by gradually decreasing the time span for which she used it. Today, with both parents working, there is a decline in the time a child spends with parents,” said Dr. Pankaj.

Doctors use a number of methods for speech therapy, including occupational, group, play, music, early intervention, and sensory integration therapies, which focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the kids and train to help them.

“My son was addicted to Angry Birds and Subway Surfers games and used to spend hours on the phone. He used to spend time alone and had trouble even framing sentences. After undergoing occupational and speech therapy, for one year, he has started taking interest in learning and has stopped playing games all the time,” said the parent of a three-year-old who underwent therapy.

(Inputs from Sadia Halima)