Toys will help in proper sensory development in children: Pediatrician

Dalwai was present in Madurai to address workshop for pediatricians in which pediatricians from various parts of the country and Sri Lanka participated. On the sidelines of the workshop he interacted with the media and spoke on the issues concerning children. 

He said that 90 percent of the cognitive development of a child happens in the first two years and it is important that parents interact with the child more often. The interaction through verbal and touch should be started right from the day one of the child's birth. 

Most importantly the verbal interaction should be in the mother tongue of the child because the child starts hearing the words right from the pregnancy period and if it continues to hear the same words the cognitive development would be better and quick for the child. 

Also the lullabies should be sung regularly for the child and in this manner the folk songs sung by the elders would be more helpful for the child as the words of the folk songs would send new vibrations to the child. However now the parents, because of the nuclear families and time crunch, use the mobile phones to make their child take food and to make them sleep.

However screens of any type and mobile phones in particular should be avoided from children in the first two years. "Mobile phones have become the digital grannies and has replaced the human touch. Mobile phones will have a lasting impact on children", said Dalwai. 

He also said that apart from human interaction toys play a crucial role in cognitive development of a child. Toys will help in developing touch, hearing and visual sensors of a child. 

"The toys were once hung in the cradle and when the cradle is moved the sound from the toys used to interest the child which helped in improving hearing sensors. The light and the movement of the toys helped in improving visual sensors for the child. But now the toys are replaced by mobile phones and they should be avoided for proper sensory development of childen", said Dalwai.