Popular technology use is excessive convenient distracting superficial fast overdone fun

Join the effort to foster healthy communication habits in a technology driven world.

The Situation

We are texting, emailing and posting more than ever – but are we truly communicating?

The technology we use every day has helped us accomplish great things, but it’s also had a profound impact on how we communicate. If current habits continue, experts are concerned overuse of popular technology could lead to diminished speech, language and hearing abilities.

68%

of 2-year-olds use tablets at home

Source

78%

of teens check their devices at least hourly

Source

4 out of 5

smartphone users check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up.

Source
The Initiative

Now that technology is woven into the fabric of everyday life, Americans need trusted advice more than ever.

The Healthy Communication and Popular Technology Initiative is an effort led by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to safeguard healthy communication in a technology-driven world. We’re a force for moderate tech use that encourages conversation, human interaction and practicing safe listening.

Join Us
Our Mission

We strive to empower parents, educators and health professionals and influencers with the tools they need to put healthy communication first.

Family eating dinner together
Provide practical advice for individuals and families to develop responsible tech habits. Create communication health awareness campaigns promoting balanced use of popular technology. Explore the impact of popular technology usage on healthy speech, language and hearing.
Join the Effort

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The Risks of Popular Technology

48 Minutes

average amount of time spent on a mobile device per day by children under 8.

Source

44%

of kids under 6 would rather play a game on a technology device than read a book or be read to.

Source

Every 30 Mins

of daily screen use increased the risk of expressive speech delay in children ages 6 months to 2 years by almost 50%.

Source

Nearly 50%

of 12- to 35-year-olds are exposed to unsafe sound levels from the use of personal audio devices.

Source

1.1 Billion

young people are at risk of hearing loss from loud music and noise.

Source

72%

of parents of children under 8 agree that loud noise from tech could lead to hearing loss in kids.

Source
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Tips for Managing Kids’ Safe Tech Usage

Find at least one or two opportunities during the day—at the dinner table, for example—to create tech-free times.

Resist overreliance on technology to pacify boredom and plan other activities to keep young children entertained.

Don't overestimate the value of educational apps – children learn best through talking, conversing and reading.

Make tech use a group activity, such as while playing an online game.

Consider whether young kids really need their own devices, and try ones with features that limit content and provide extra security.

Set daily time limits and enforce them through devices that automatically turn off or keeping track yourself.

Be consistent in enforcing the parameters you set for tech use.

Always practice safe listening, especially when using ear buds or headphones.

Model the safe tech habits you want your kids to adopt.

Learn the signs of communication disorders and seek an assessment from a speech-language pathologist or audiologist if you have any questions or concerns.

News and Resources

Is technology distracting your child? We’ve g ...

Getting kids to turn off devices isn’t always easy ...

Read More October 16, 2018

Your kids hate your smartphone addiction ...

The author talked to experts to find out how to balance "me time" and parenting ...

Read More October 9, 2018

What we lose by reading 100,000 words every d ...

Book review of Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World ...

Read More October 9, 2018

For more related content, visit ASHA Communication and Tech on Medium. Back to the Top