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Objectives Association between screen time exposure in early childhood and ASD is being studied widely.1 There is increasing concern regarding early screen-media exposure and its effect on developmental delays as ASD (2) with average screen time for children about 2.5 hours.2 This study aims to show impact on key symptoms of autism in children after minimizing screen-time exposure and focused social interaction delivered by primary caregivers. Methods Retrospective analysis of electronic patient records between January to September 2023 was performed as part of an institutional audit. 24 children between 2–5 years with features of ASD were randomly selected from database. Patient confidentiality maintained. These children had a prior positive screening-test (MCHAT-R)/diagnosis of Autism. They had undergone intervention via an online parent coaching program 3; focused on increasing social interaction by family members and targeting goal- specific functional outcomes. The intervention involved parent coaching via a weekly 1-hour phone-call by a trained therapist and monthly follow-up with Paediatrician, in which measures to improve social interaction and support for restricting screen-viewing was given. Patient data records on screen viewing history and parameters of early social interaction namely eye-contact, response to name call and social interaction with family members was entered on Microsoft Excel and analyzed. Outcomes were measured by parental feedback reported on change in duration of eye-contact during interaction, change in frequency of responding to name-call and if increase in social interaction with primary caregiver and other family members as reported after a 3-month program. Results Out of 24 children, 16(66.6%) were male. Mean age at start of intervention was 40months. Average screen time pre-intervention was 1.5 hours (maximum 4hours) and post-intervention was less than 10 minutes in 23 patients (95.8%). Improvement in eye-contact was reported in 24 children (100%), response to name-call improved by average of 30% in all children and 17 children (70%) showed better social interaction with extended family members and visiting relatives. Conclusion This online parent coaching program with focus on eliminating screen-viewing and increasing social interaction showed positive outcome in children with features of ASD. These measures can be considered for families that face difficulty in accessing conventional therapy or long waiting times. Paediatricians can also trial focused screen-time reduction in addition to routine therapy with willing and motivated families. More study in these domains will be needed to derive significant outcomes. References Kushima M, Kojima R, Shinohara R, et al. Association between screen time exposure in children at 1 year of age and autism spectrum disorder at 3 years of age: The japan environment and children's study. JAMA Pediatr. 2022;176(4):384–391. Heffler KF, Frome LR, Garvin B, Bungert LM, Bennett DS. Screen time reduction and focus on social engagement in autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study. Pediatr Int. 2022 Jan;64(1):e15343. Samir Dalwai, Hilla Sookhadwala. Gains from Covid lockdown: moving to online platforms for better service and outcome in autism. The Indian Practitioner 2023Mar;76(2):6–10.
Khan et al. (Tue,) studied this question.