Retard de langage chez les enfants : « À 4 ans, mon fils est absorbé par les écrans et ne formule toujours pas de phrase »
Language delays in children are constantly increasing, according to many health professionals. Parents, often distraught, share their concerns about their little ones who speak little or nothing and struggle to communicate. The family environment and excessive screen use are now considered major factors in these disorders.
Today, many children, often under 3 years old, spend several hours a day in front of screens (cartoons, canteens) available on YouTube, etc., sometimes replacing real human interactions. This significantly reduces their opportunities to express themselves, ask questions, and engage in dialogue.
Child psychiatrist Dr. Awa Diéye highlights many factors linked to language delay in a child.
"An unstimulating environment and exposure to screens are the most common factors I encounter in my patients, outside of neurodevelopmental diseases or disorders. Today, in a family environment, adults have smartphones, and possibly children under 3 years old are sitting down, so there is almost no interaction between parents and children. This is extremely common," she said.
The other often-overlooked factor: loneliness. In homes where parents work, many are stressed or absent, and interactions with the child may be limited to the essentials (eating, sleeping, bathing). Language, on the other hand, requires time for free exchanges, play, and repetition.
Screens, isolation, pace of life: a silent cocktail
A mother, who wished to remain anonymous, was concerned about her eldest son's speech delay. "After school, he spent long hours alone, absorbed in his tablet or in front of the television." "From the age of 3, he had difficulty expressing himself clearly, unlike his cousins. When I learned that speech delay could be linked to overexposure to screens, I decided to focus on more stimulating activities. I encouraged him to play soccer with neighborhood children. That's when there was an improvement," she says.
According to experts, a child should not be exposed to screens before the age of 3, spend 1 or 2 hours in front of an anime and favor group games and communication between children and adults from the age of 3.
Dr. Dieye clarified that there are warning signs that should not be ignored, including: "At 2 years old, the child says almost no words; at 3 years old, he does not form short sentences, he does not try to communicate (looks, gestures, sounds), he seems indifferent to his environment." In this case, she said, a consultation with a speech therapist or a child psychiatrist is recommended.
“Lina was almost 3 years old and barely spoke. At home, she wasn’t very talkative; I thought it was normal, that she would speak when she was ready. But it was in kindergarten that everything changed. In just a few weeks, she started talking, singing, and telling lots of stories. It was impressive,” says Mélanie, her mother.
A rich social environment: a key factor in language
This testimony highlights a crucial point: language does not develop in isolation. It requires a rich breeding ground of interaction, exchanges, and listening. However, many children grow up in family environments that are impoverished in language, often despite the good will of their parents.
Entering a community setting, especially kindergarten, can play a decisive role for some children. For others, interaction between children fosters language development, not to mention communication with their parents.
The various testimonies illustrate that a stimulating environment and games can make all the difference. The foundation of language is built at home, from the first months, through gaze, games, stories, and discussions.
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