Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

My 2 yr old son has been using mobile since almost a year.

78 replies

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 16:50

My concern is how much is his eyesight affected due to this.
My husband has strongly suggested and I too feel we stop him access to Mobile phone and TV. Even when watching tv he goes very close to it . We had to use mobile phones to get him to it 😢 but now i wonder if we have already done harm to his eyesight. My son having glasses in his childhood is last thing I would want

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Hellocatshome · 02/02/2022 17:17

What does he do with the phone that helps him eat?
Mine would eat better if watching TV as they sort of ate without thinking about it. Could he do that as the TV would be further away from him than the phone?

user94747295 · 02/02/2022 17:21

My Child has been seeing an ophthalmologist since 6 months old, he is now nearly 3, they know how to do what is needed to check

BeneficiaryMadness · 02/02/2022 17:22

Because the optician can check his eyes with an ophthalmoscope, they don’t need him to speak.
And I’ve fitted hundreds of children under the ages of 5 with glasses, and feel your comment about him having glasses would be the last thing you want really awful.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

2 year olds Families General parenting

Mariposista · 02/02/2022 17:28

If he’s bored, give him your car keys to play with. No phones until he’s a teenager.

satelliteheart · 02/02/2022 17:32

When you say he doesn't speak do you mean he can't say any words? If your 2 year old isn't saying anything then that's a much bigger worry than his eyesight, you need to get that looked into. I would imagine shoving him in front of a screen so much could have contributed to a speech delay but there may also be something else going on. Try having mealtimes as a family and interacting with him and engaging him, it will hopefully bring his speech on as well as keeping him away from screens

user1493494961 · 02/02/2022 17:35

Does he actually look at books or just a screen?

MondayYogurt · 02/02/2022 17:36

Young children don't need to be distracted to eat, if they are hungry they eat.
You're basically force feeding him via distraction.

grey12 · 02/02/2022 17:38

@MondayYogurt

Young children don't need to be distracted to eat, if they are hungry they eat. You're basically force feeding him via distraction.

I'm afraid this is probably true.... my 15 month old doesn't eat much 🤷🏻‍♀️ but her weight is ok regardless and that's what's important

TheresALight · 02/02/2022 17:44

@sarahhoping My kids were referred for eye tests at 6 months and have been having tests since due to poor family eyesight.
There are a lot of tests the opticians can do without the kids being able to talk, they show them pictures and make sure the babies follow it around the room for example. It is much easier than you'd imagine and if you tell him that the Dr will be showing them games, he will most likely be excited to go and see what it's all about.
Both ended up having glasses from age 3 and I was initially worried about how I would get them to wear them, it took about 4 months for then to get used to them but now they both reach for them as soon as they wake as they're so used to it.
I understand that you are worried about him needing glasses so young, but so many of their friends are jealous. The only thing I worry about is whether needing the glasses so early will mean they have worse eyesight as they get older but getting the correct glasses at an early age can only help their eyes.

marqueses · 02/02/2022 17:50

Have you had him checked for not speaking? When you say 2 exactly how old is he

I'm a pre screen mum and tbh it quite horrifies me that a young child is already addicted. I don't understand what has fundamentally changed that means that today's children need screens at such a young age.

KitchenTowel · 02/02/2022 17:59

How much screen time a day does he get? Is it hours or just twenty minutes three times a day for when he's hqving his meals? Well that still adds up to quite a bit for that age but if you are taking him outside lots to play then that might help. The association between screen time and poor eye sight isn't that strong so it's not guaranteed that he will get glasses or conversely won't get glasses if he has no screen time. So try not to worry too much about the past. Get him off your mobile from now on and try to start some healthier habit.

MissyB1 · 02/02/2022 18:08

Hang on a minute! Your worrying about eyesight but what about his speech?? He’s two and doesn’t speak? Not at all? The amount of screen time could be holding his development back, too much screen time hinders speech. I’m a nursery teacher and we see this a lot unfortunately.
No child “needs” a screen to eat. You have created an issue.
Get his eyes tested and get rid of the screens. Talk to your child, read a lot more books, and work in the speech.

KarenTheGammonRemoaner · 02/02/2022 18:09

@sarahhoping

My concern is how much is his eyesight affected due to this. My husband has strongly suggested and I too feel we stop him access to Mobile phone and TV. Even when watching tv he goes very close to it . We had to use mobile phones to get him to it 😢 but now i wonder if we have already done harm to his eyesight. My son having glasses in his childhood is last thing I would want

I don't understand "getting them to eat" my child just ate, she's a human and we all need food.

KarenTheGammonRemoaner · 02/02/2022 18:12

@MondayYogurt

Young children don't need to be distracted to eat, if they are hungry they eat. You're basically force feeding him via distraction.

I think this is normal. I just breastfed my baby until she showed interest in food then started giving her finger foods. THere was no time to eat and no fuss over it. Now she's a healthy six year old who eats well. A lot of babyfood marketing has got its way into NHS policy unfortunately. We all need to be reading around best practises and what's closest to nature rather than blindly following NHS guidance because it's not impartial now if it ever was, it's corrupted by corporate interests now. Formula companies sponsor the BMJ. That should be all one needs to know.

Fallagain · 02/02/2022 18:14

If he is two and still not talking then he should be seeing a speech and language therapist, have you discuss it with them?

KarenTheGammonRemoaner · 02/02/2022 18:14

Honestly remove the phone and begin over again with parenting. Go to books and play and lots of attention and nurture from YOU not a screen. Yes he will fuss about the phone for a bit but you just start playing a game and he will eventually join. You bare the cries and you do this until that crying turns to enjoyment of life. Honestly you need to do that or your child's development will suffer.

ponkydonkey · 02/02/2022 18:15

Personally I'd be more worried about kids eating whilst watching a phone 😱

Surely enjoyment of food is the interaction and actual enjoyment of what you are eating?

Retrievemysanity · 02/02/2022 18:17

Hi @sarahhoping, my eldest DD has SEN and getting her to eat different textures etc was a battle when she was younger. We used TV and musical books at meal times too which really helped so I can totally understand why you would do this. It’s worrying when you have a child that doesn’t eat so I completely empathise.

Your son can get his eyes checked even though he’s not speaking. My DD did Makaton signing and the optometrist would put up pictures of things like houses and fish and DD would do the sign for them from a really young age. It might help generally if he’s not speaking. Try not to worry, get him checked out and take it from there.

If it’s reassuring, DD is a teen and eats brilliantly now. She does wear glasses but to correct an astigmatism which I don’t think is screen use related but DH and I wore glasses as children anyway so the chances of her needing them too were high I think.

miltonj · 02/02/2022 18:18

@MondayYogurt

Young children don't need to be distracted to eat, if they are hungry they eat. You're basically force feeding him via distraction.

Maybe in your experience with the kids you know. But that's certainly n the case for all young children.

ponkydonkey · 02/02/2022 18:19

He doesn't speak? At all?
Okay there may be a problem with his development, not due to screen time.

What does your health visitor say... are there any other concerns

Get him checked out

doadeer · 02/02/2022 18:19

Is there potential your son could be autistic?

Restrictive eating
Intense screen interest
Looking at items very closely
Delayed speech?

My son is autistic and he is fascinated by movies.

Puffflashpuffflashbang · 02/02/2022 18:19

Does he not speak at all? That's concerning aged 2.

Hercisback · 02/02/2022 18:21

I'd be more concerned he's 2 and doesn't speak than anything to do with his vision.

Sorecalf · 02/02/2022 18:22

I've worn glasses since I was little. I don't think it's a big deal.

I'd probably get his speaking checked out though if you haven't already? Must be frustrating for your little one if he can't communicate very well.

Tal45 · 02/02/2022 18:27

Going very close to the tv could be a sensory thing, his non speaking and food issues could also suggest asd. I really hope not though if you think him wearing glasses is the last thing you could want.

Flip

1 2 3 4