Mobiles, laptops, tablets, IPad etc. have become an integral part of our livelihood. We live in a world where children know to access internet before they could learn to play or run. The only games they play are on their mobile/laptop/tablet. Smart phones/tablets have replaced toys and are now used for entertainment. Children no longer prefer going outdoor to play but would rather spend hours hooked on to these smart devices. Every parent to ease out their duties, is guilty of giving their child a smart phone or a tablet at one or the other point during childhood They in fact, take pride in saying that their six and seven month old infants are able to handle a smart phone. Little do they realize the impact it will have on the development of these tiny tots. Smart devices definitely have their advantages as they provide abundant information regarding various domains with just a touch of a button. Studies have shown that exposure of children towards educational nonviolence based cartoons does not impact their development. However, the real question is whether the unfettered access to these smart devices are actually making children smarter. The age range between 0-7 years is termed as the critical period as this is the period where a child develops the most in terms of language, cognitive, physical and social skills. These developments mainly occur as a response to the stimulation from the environment. Studies have shown that increased screen time in children could be the cause for later attention deficit conditions, behavioral deficits, social communication deficits, delay in language development and autistic like features. There is a complete lack of parental interaction during the screen exposure resulting in the above mentioned conditions. Children are never exposed to a conversation rather all they listen to is the scripted dialogues that their favorite cartoon character is speaking. Many a times parents fail to recognize that their child is facing difficulty in understanding and speaking in comparison to their peers. Parents are often mislead into believing that a slight delay in beginning to speak is normal and would be alright as the child grows older. The major reason for this is lack of awareness amongst parents regarding the long term consequences of prolonged exposure to these gadgets and smart devices on their child. Therefore we can conclude by stating that smart gadgets are not all bad but its effect is determined by the quantity and quality of exposure children have towards it. If you notice your child exhibiting any of the following symptoms kindly consult a Speech Language Therapist at the earliest. 1. Not speaking age appropriately. 2. Makes very few sounds or gestures. 3. Reduced social interaction i.e. difficulty in playing or mingling with others. 4. Reduced attention towards any objects/activity/academics. 5. Difficulty in understanding whatever is told to the child. 6. Child seems to not pay attention to name call or other environmental sounds. 7. Has difficulty in reading and writing abilities.

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