Prolonged Screen Use Linked to Speech Delays and Other Health Risks in Children

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Prolonged and uncontrolled use of screens may lead to several negative effects on children’s development, including speech delays and other health risks. Parents are urged to regulate their children’s screen time to mitigate these potential issues.

According to Radio Television Brunei, speech problems or speech delays are among the severe impacts of children’s exposure to screens. Additional issues include hyperactivity, obesity, stunted development of social skills, lack of self-control, behavioral challenges, eye health concerns, and diminished academic achievement. Many of these problems have been identified as stemming from parents’ own screen habits, which may unknowingly contribute to their children’s screen-related issues.

The country’s guidelines on children’s screen use advise against device use for children under two years old and recommend limiting screen time to no more than one hour for children aged two to five. The Child Development Centre reports that of the nearly one t
housand children referred last year, more than half experienced speech problems or speech delays, and approximately 25 percent showed signs of autism.