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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Ohio Expert: Technology Harming Kids' Communication Skills

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Monday, May 23, 2016   

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Smart phones and tablets make communicating easy in some ways, and yet experts warn there may be consequences for youngsters.

A new poll from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association found the biggest concern of speech pathologists is that excessive technology use is replacing conversation and human interaction.

Ann Kummer, senior director of speech-language pathology, at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, explains that when children are on devices, they're not only missing out on verbal interaction, but also physical language.

"What's most important in communication development and also in the development of relationships, is direct communication, which means that you look at each other, you have eye contact, you laugh together, and that is not well done through devices," she explains.

A majority of speech-language pathologists in the poll said the overuse of technology could cause irreversible damage to the communication skills of future generations.

During Better Hearing and Speech Month in May, speech-language pathologists are encouraging parents to model safe technology use and set reasonable parameters for their children.

Kummer notes that technology isn't bad, but the key is moderation. She says nothing can replace what a child can learn through communicating person-to-person.

"A lot of times, parents are driving and kids are sitting using their devices and there's no talking going on,” she points out. “I always found in raising my kids that sometimes, the best conversations were when we were together in the car."

Kummer adds there's been a significant rise in hearing loss in young people in recent years, which coincides with an increase in MP3 players and iPods. She suggests encouraging children to keep the volume at half-level, because most hearing loss is irreversible.





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