GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There are plenty of gadgets and apps that promise to make parenting easier but that technology in the hands of your child may be doing more harm than good.
"We're finding that our kiddos brains aren't as organized and aren't as planful as they once were and we're finding that causing problems in reading and language use unlike we have seen in other generations," Dr. Michael Wolff is a neuropsychologist in Grand Rapids.
Dr. Wolff is aware of the studies that prove exposing children under five to technology interferes with brain development, "When we look at technology and we introduce it to the brain imaging studies are showing us that it doesn't really cause specific centers of the brain to develop and mature when they're supposed to."
But there is one thing that can change that: reading.
Dr. Wolff says it encourages the brain to learn, "The trends are showing high IQ's better cognitive decision making and other factors that are important for us to be successful as we develop."
And here's the proof. This is the brain of a preschooler who was read to every day.
The image is part of a study at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The red areas show growth in the language and literacy areas of the brain.
And this is the image of a preschooler who spends two hours a day on a phone or tablet.
The lack of red shows a massive underdevelopment of the part of the brain needed to support learning.
So when is a good time to start reading to your child? As soon as their born.
Reading to your child daily, especially before the age of five is the best way to set them up for a successful life.
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