Babies and their loving caregivers are naturally attracted to each other. Feeding a baby is a sacred time when lifelong bonds develop through tender caresses, late-night murmurs and loving, long glances.
But there’s competition now. A spare moment is an opportunity to catch up—with email, social media, and other digital demands on our attention.
Yet, a child’s vital need for Attachment remains. Without secure attachment, a baby can grow up to be someone who is anxious and less durable for the long run. Without the opportunity to closely study a caregiver’s mouth and expressions, a child’s language development can lag. Kids faced with phones instead of a parent can miss out on learning the vital skill (for survival in life and in business) of learning to read faces and understand emotions.
Researching Attachment
Research is beginning to indicate that if the view of a caregiver’s face is blocked by a device or if a very young child is left to spend too much time in a 2-D screen environment, the trajectory of brain development can be altered, as seen in a newly-discovered syndrome among many toddlers.
What impact Attachment and Detachment have on children are among topics explored in this episode of the Technology for Mindfulness podcast, hosted by MIT-educated engineer, computer scientist, and lawyer Robert Plotkin and featuring health journalist, educator, and DurableHuman.com founder Jenifer Joy Madden. 
After the podcast, watch this simple one-thought animation that shows how a parent’s early choices could affect whether a baby receives the face-to-face content needed for best development.
Watch more of the Broccoli Brain series here.
About the author: Jenifer Joy Madden is a health journalist, digital media professor, certified digital wellness educator, and parent of three durable young adults. She has informed millions on the TEDx stage, in the DurableU online classroom and on news outlets ranging from ABC News to The Washington Post. Her books include The Durable Human Manifesto and How To Be a Durable Human: Revive and Thrive in the Digital Age Through the Power of Self-Design.
Download The Durable Human Manifesto for free here.
[…] as in the newly-discovered syndrome seen in toddlers, Virtual Autism.” (Jenifer Joy Madden, “Parents Didn’t Need to Think Much About Attachment Until Now”) […]
[…] Research is beginning to indicate that if the view of a caregiver’s face is blocked by a device or if a very young child is left to spend too much time in a 2-D screen environment, the trajectory of brain development can be altered, as in the newly-discovered syndrome seen in toddlers, Virtual Autism.” (Jenifer Joy Madden, “Parents Didn’t Need to Think Much About Attachment Until Now”) […]
Is child brain starts learning inthe age 2.5 once we remove screen and increase time with child.can autistic symtoms disappear
Yes, that is what the research is showing. Take a look at https://durablehuman.com/ToddlerScreenSyndrome
[…] Research is beginning to indicate that if the view of a caregiver’s face is blocked by a device or if a very young child is left to spend too much time in a 2-D screen environment, the trajectory of brain development can be altered, as in the newly-discovered syndrome seen in toddlers, Virtual Autism.” (Jenifer Joy Madden, “Parents Didn’t Need to Think Much About Attachment Until Now”) […]