Too much, too young?

If it is true that one in five children started primary school last year failing to meet age-related expectations for speaking, then that is surely a problem that should not be ignored.

Too much screen time for toddlers has also been shown to have a negative effect on attention spans, empathy and impulse control.

However, it could be argued that society is as much to blame as parents.

In today’s hectic tech-driven world, is it any wonder that many sometimes resort to using screens to help keep their offspring entertained or distracted while they juggle a multitude of household chores and work requirements?

Part of the problem is that it is effective. Perhaps a little too effective. Screens can captivate and hold children’s attention in a way that almost nothing else does, giving time-starved parents a much-needed break.

That is perfectly understandable and acceptable – in moderation, of course.

And yes, there are some parents who spend too much time on their mobile phones, but is it entirely their fault that they struggle to tear themselves away from devices that have been deliberately designed to be as addictive as possible?

Smartphone features such as ‘pull to refresh’ were apparently inspired by slot machines, known as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’, and social media ‘likes’ have been shown to trigger the brain’s reward system to release dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ chemical.

But if we, as adults, struggle to keep our own screen time under control, what hope is there for our children, who have never even known life without it?