“My child doesn’t eat unless I give him the phone.”
“She throws a huge tantrum if I don’t let her see videos on my laptop.”
“He is so addicted to his iPad.”
As someone who works with neurodivergent children, these are statements I get to hear on a daily basis from parents. At the outset, they may sound like different stories, with different protagonists and a wide range of plots, but the antagonist always seems to be the same- a device. Let’s look at this “antagonist” from the perspective of a child growing up today. Right from setting an alarm on the phone to wake up, to checking WhatsApp for any updates from school or office, from booking a cab to go anywhere to navigating the way with Google maps, from attending work meetings to planning vacations- the adults in the child’s life seem to have the same friend, philosopher and guide- a device. How does a child who witnesses this reality everyday accept that something that seems so helpful to adults is harmful for them? Device exposure is impossible to eliminate in the current age. What is possible though is to redirect children’s curiosity towards devices to forge a healthier relationship- one in which the “antagonist” may behave like a friend more often!
The 2024 Oxford Word of the Year was “brainrot”, which essentially refers to the decline of cognitive functions due to over-consumption of trivial online content, mainly on social media. But even beyond the virtual world of social media, the way we depend on our phone’s reminders more than our own memory or on ChatGPT than our own problem solving skills, it is evident that we are outsourcing our natural brain functions to devices increasingly, causing them to stay un-stimulated and literally- “rot”. What if I told you- where there is brainrot, there is also a brain stimulation hotspot? My experience of working with neurodivergent children has taught me exactly that. I have heard children who may not have learnt to say “hello” recite entire songs they’ve heard on YouTube. I have listened to children who cannot recall what they ate for lunch, remember absurdly long names of Italian brainrot characters that are not even real. I have witnessed children who have a meltdown if verbally asked to stop an activity of interest, do it without any fuss when a device sounds an alarm to stop. These are just few of many instances that are testament to the fact that devices elicit a certain interest and responsiveness from them, which if harnessed in a healthy manner can open up a gateway to enter their beautiful minds.
Perhaps the most remarkable way in which devices prove to be helpful for neurodivergent children is through the use of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) apps like Avaz. AAC devices serve not only as communication tools but also as powerful reminders that a child with no speech or ability to express verbally does not imply they are not thinking or feeling. AAC devices empower non-speaking children to make decisions, express their needs and emotions, narrate life events and altogether unlock parts of their mind that only required a different set of keys. AAC apps also facilitate better communication and expression of language in children who are minimally verbal but can access as well as enhance their vocabulary when given audio visual cues. Imagine you’re trying to get something from the topmost shelf of a cupboard but your hands can’t reach. You can easily do it if you climb on a stool. An AAC device is like that stool for a verbal child who finds it difficult to reach the brain region responsible for expressive communication. Just as you would keep what you needed in a lower shelf in the cupboard so you don’t need a stool to reach it next time, the words the child tried to reach for gradually become more accessible, and eventually they may not require the device’s help anymore.
Interactive platforms like Wordwall can serve as a brain gym with personalized set of equipments. Wordwall lets parents; teachers and therapists customize games that help build the child’s language, memory, problem solving, social and life skills. Children tend to be more actively engaged when playing a game on an interactive digital platform since it has a wide range of provisions to add novelty. In today’s world that lives more in reels than in real, there can’t be a more influential learning tool than videos. Platforms like Everyday Speech provide a diverse set of videos addressing social situations through role modeling as well as interactive games. These videos help build insight in children about their social behaviors and also act as helpful discussion starters. A challenge that comes up while using these platforms is a lot of their features are locked beyond a paywall that interferes with their accessibility. With the rising popularity of generative AI, there remains a hope that games and videos that meaningfully engage children and focus on brain stimulation rather than brainrot, will become easier to access for parents and professionals who work with children.
We live in an era where devices are everywhere, and they are here to stay. While we cannot remove them from our lived realities, we can find ways to configure our children’s relationships with them so that they don’t become villains in their stories, but play the role of safe supporting characters. They will make our lives easier, and might diminish our brain functions while they’re at it. Or we might keep being mindful and still manage to stimulate our and our children’s brains with their help. So, brainrot or mindful thought? The choice is ours.
About the Author
Pragya Saha is a psychologist working with children with neurodevelopmental delays at HOPE-The Early Intervention Centre, with an experience of 2.5 years. Her therapy modality includes play-based neurocognitive therapy and sensory integration. Using AAC and exploring digital learning platforms are currently very strong influences in enhancing and informing her work.