Developmental paediatrician at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Yvonne Nanaama Brew, has cautioned parents against excessive screen exposure among young children, warning that technology and artificial intelligence are increasingly taking over parenting roles in many homes.
Speaking on ABC In The Morning, the specialist stressed that the early years of a child’s life are critical for brain development and social interaction, particularly between birth and age five.
According to her, parents who decide to have children must take personal responsibility for raising them instead of relying heavily on digital devices for babysitting.
“If you choose to have children, it means you have to stay home and raise your children,” she stated during the interview.
She warned that many parents are unknowingly outsourcing parenting responsibilities to screens and artificial intelligence, a trend she believes could negatively affect children’s emotional, social and language development.
“You can’t outsource your babysitting roles to computers. Computers will raise your children as AI,” she cautioned.
Dr. Yvonne Nanaama Brew explained that a child’s brain develops rapidly within the first five years of life, making human interaction extremely important during that stage. She noted that children learn communication, emotional connection and behavioural patterns mainly through direct interaction with family members and caregivers.
“Children’s brain development is at its maximum between age zero to five,” she said.
The developmental paediatrician also expressed concern over situations where children struggle to communicate in the language or communication style used within their homes because of prolonged exposure to digital content.
“If a child is not speaking like the family, it is problematic,” she noted.
She further observed that many children are increasingly choosing screens over direct human interaction due to early and frequent exposure to digital devices.
“Children choose screens rather than human eye contact due to early exposure,” she explained.
She therefore urged parents and guardians to closely monitor children’s use of phones, tablets and televisions, especially for children under the age of five.
“Children below five should not be left unsupervised on screens,” she advised.
Her comments have since sparked conversations on parenting, technology use and the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital devices on child development in modern society.
