Dubai - Shoving off toddlers before electronic devices damage their skills,
Published: Tue 10 Nov 2015, 11:00 PM
Updated: Wed 11 Nov 2015, 5:41 PM
The 21st remedy for a crying child is often to shove him/her in front of a TV or iPad.
But with toddlers as young as 18 months old spending between 5-6 hours a day in front of a screen, the long term effects are proving damaging to their developmental skills.
"We are seeing an increasing number of children presenting with speech delay. Based on statistics from our centre this often relates to the amount of time children spend watching TV, iPads," Psychomotor Therapist, Rindala Semaan told Khaleej Times at the official opening of Brio on Monday, a Dubai-based Centre for the early detection, prevention and treatment of children's learning difficulties.
With 20 children already enrolled at the centre, about 50 per cent have been referred for therapy due to speech delay as a result of increased addiction to electronic devices.
"These children are simply not stimulated to involve themselves in conversation," Semaan said.
Using different individualised programmes for each child in both their natural environment (home and school) and at the centre, programmes can last from 6 months to up to several years.
And it is often simple techniques that parents can use to help foster their child's developmental skills.
No magic recipe
5-year-old Rehan first presented at the Centre's accompanying nurseries with speech delay. His mother said she noticed issues with his speech, especially when communicating with others. "He found it hard to express his needs and he only started saying his first words at 2 years old." After two sessions of occupational therapy and two sessions of speech therapy each week for the past year, she said he has come on leaps and bounds. "There is no magic recipe for this. Parents just need to invest time in their child if problems like this arise. They do not need to be afraid of seeking professional help."
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"For children with speech delay, parents can try sitting on the same level as them when talking, practise positive reinforcement, or let he/she lead in a game or activity. It's all about engaging," Semaan said.
Working under the umbrella of Tejar Dubai and in collaboration with the Community Development Authority (CDA) and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Brio's mission is to treat and support young children, from 0-8-years-old, with their integration into the schooling system. "We are not interested in pulling these children out of school. We want to keep them in their natural environment, promote inclusion. The challenge is how to best adapt the environment to their needs," Semaan said.
Working collaboratively with the KHDA and schoolteachers, the centre first assesses each child before partnering with the educational facility to best adapt the curriculum to their needs.
Treating children with mild learning disorders including speech and language issues, as well as those with mild genetic syndromes, the centre has no structured pricing system.
"The financial burden for families with children with disabilities is very high in Dubai. We try to take this on board when treating a child," co-founder of the Centre, Linda Nassif Yazigi told Khaleej Times.
Taking into consideration the financial status of the family as well as the amount of intensified therapies needed for the child, costs will vary, she said. "We will not reject a child who needs the help but cannot afford payments," Yazigi said. At present, the centre currently houses one psychomotor therapist, one speech and language therapist, a special educator and a visiting psychologist. Located in Business Bay, the centre was inaugurated by second Vice-Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hisham Al Shirawi.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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