In recent studies done by the Reading & Literacy Center of Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital provide neurobiological evidence for the potential benefits of reading and the potential detriments of screen time on a preschool child’s brain development. Dr. John Hutton, a pediatrician, says this is important because the brain is developing the most rapidly in the first five years.
The researchers used a special type of MRI, called diffusion tensor imaging, to examine the white matter of 47 healthy children between the ages of three and five. The brain’s gray matter contains the majority of the brain cells telling the body what to do. White matter is made up from fibers which form connections between brain cells and the rest of the nervous system. Increasing and organizing white matter is critical to the brain’s ability to communicate across its various parts, boosting its functionality and ability to learn. Without a well-developed communication system, the brain’s processing speech slows and learning suffers.
The brain images of the children who is often read to by a caregiver showed a growth in organized white matter in the language and literacy areas of the child’s brain. Disturbingly the brain images of preschoolers who used greater than 2 hours of screen time (television, tablets, smart phones, etc.) showed underdevelopment and disorganization of the white matter in the same areas of the brain.
Dr. Hutton says “Kids who have a more stimulating experience that organize the brain are at a huge advantage when they get to school. It’s really harder and harder for kids to catch up.”
Screen time seems to get in the way of more than reading such as playing with toys, using imagination and going outside. Dr. Hutton also says that this is “interfering with all kinds of activities that would benefit different parts of the brain that aren’t related to reading”.
There is no one “best” way to read to your child. The National Institute for Literacy suggest the following. Start from birth by talking to your child and responding to their attempts to talk. Sing the ABC song. Have your child use their imagination and make up stories. Ask lots of questions about their stories. Pick books with interesting characters and don’t be afraid to role play with different voices and accents. Have your child point to pictures and words and repeat them. Most important of all have fun reading with you child.
Published 1/17/2020
Sally Robinson, MD Clinical Professor
Keeping Kids Healthy
Also See: UTMB Pediatrics - Pediatric Primary Care