The relationship between screen time and speech delay in 1-2-year-old children

Background: Speech delay was one among the most prevalent and most often developmental disorders found in children. The use of screen media was suspected to be associated with speech delay, especially related to screen time. Urgent study related with identifying the association between speech delay and screen time was needed especially among younger children.

Objective: This study aimed to prove the association between speech delay and screen time in 1-2-year-old children.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, subjected at children aged 1-2-year-old in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia Primary Health Care working area. Outcome was speech delay which diagnosed using Capute scales.

Results: This study included 167 subjects with average age introduced to screen media was 9,84 + 4,04 months. This study subjects were mostly male (55%) with average age was 19.2 + 3.5 months. Children with screen time more than 2 hours per day were associated with speech delay [OR 6.15 (CI95% 2.84-13.30; p=<0.001)]. Male gender and low social economy were also associated with speech delay [adjusted OR 2.67 and 5.49 (CI95% 1.72-5.60; p=0.009 and 2.04-13.93; p=0.001)].

Conclusion: Screen time more than two hours daily increase the risk of speech delay 6.2 times in children aged 1-2-year old. Male and low parental education also acted as risk factors for speech delay.Keywords:  critical congenital heart disease, early screening