Playing games on iPads might stunt language development

Parents should think twice before allowing their toddlers to play Angry Birds or other games on iPads or cellphones.

Researchers have found that such games are linked to poorer speech development.

Doctors investigated the links between use of the devices and overall development and speech.

A survey of 65 families in the US suggested that most parents believed that the games were educational and helped their child's development.

The team, from the Cohen Children's Medical Centre of New York, found that there was no divergence in general development test scores between children aged up to three years who played educational games and those who played non-educational games on touch-screen devices.

But they did find that those who played non-educational games, such as Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja , had lower scores in tests of language comprehension and speaking.

The researchers said they could not establish whether the games caused poor speech or if children who were struggling with language skills were drawn to playing them.