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Hyperactivity and delayed speech
My daughter is 37 months old..she habituated to screen time since 1.5 year..we stopped since last time because of her speech delay..she only speaks few words amma abba ..if she wants anythimg she wil show by hand gestures...she gives less eye contact..and hyperactive..nowadays she banging her head if she frustrates...im worried about her..some are saying she has autism adhd..is this true?? Wil she recover to normal life like other children?
Answers (11)
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I understand your worries about your daughter. From what you describe – delayed speech, less eye contact, showing needs through gestures, hyperactivity, and head banging when frustrated – these are developmental concerns that need proper evaluation. Sometimes prolonged screen exposure can contribute to speech delay, but features like reduced eye contact and limited speech also raise the need to assess for conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or ADHD.
It is important to know that:
• At this age, early intervention makes a big difference in speech and social development.
• Many children with delays improve significantly with speech therapy, behavioral therapy, and structured play.
• A proper diagnosis can only be made after assessment by a developmental pediatrician / child psychiatrist / child psychologist.
Next Steps
1. Consult a developmental pediatrician or child psychiatrist for a detailed evaluation.
2. Start speech therapy and occupational therapy as early as possible – no need to wait for a final label.
3. Continue with zero screen time, and instead engage her in:
• Face-to-face play (singing, rhymes, picture books)
• Naming objects during daily activities
• Encouraging eye contact while talking and feeding
4. If she shows frustration or self-harming behaviors (like head banging), try to redirect her safely and seek guidance from her therapist.
Health Tips
Please don’t blame yourself; many parents face this, and early therapy can bring very good progress.
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You need to get her assessed by a child psychiatrist and then by a clinical psychologist to know her present state and then take it forward. Good luck
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First of all you must consult a Psychiatrist ASAP, so that proper evaluation can be done, in person visit with child and parents is needed
Do not get confused by ADHD or Autism, after detailed history taking by caretakers and assessment of child , diagnosis can be reached
Next Steps
plan a consultation with a psychiatrist
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Kindly consult a Psychologist and also Psychiatrist
So as to have complete and through assessment of your child and adequate treatment for her
Reduce social media and mobile usage
Involve her in routine daily activities
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kindly consult online for further management and treatment
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Your child shows speech delay and social communication difficulty. These ar red flag signs that suggests autism spectrum disorder or screen induced development delay. At this age waiting further without intervention is not recommended. Early therapy is essential
Next Steps
comprehensive development assessment
speech and language therapy
occupational therapy and behaviour therapy
zero screen time
parental involvement and regular follow up
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children with similar issues can still make significant progress. some may completely catch up, especially if the cause is screen related delay. even autism early intervention leads to much better language and social outcomes
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Dr. Sanjana Ilavarasu
Psychiatrist
3 yrs exp
Bangalore
Do get her evaluated by a child psychiatrist in person. They will take detailed history from parents, observe the child and come to a diagnosis and suggest appropriate medications or therapy based on severity.
Next Steps
Consult immediately
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Dr. Seujee Goswami
Adolescent And Child Psychiatrist
13 yrs exp
Bangalore
From your description, your daughter’s speech delay, reduced eye contact, preference for gestures over words, hyperactivity, and head-banging when frustrated are developmental concerns that may be seen in a wide range of situations in young children. Prolonged screen exposure in early years can sometimes contribute to such difficulties, but these behaviours can also occur for many other reasons.
It is not possible to determine the exact cause without a thorough, in-person developmental assessment. The good news is that children with similar presentations often make significant progress with timely and consistent early intervention, especially when interventions are started early .
Next Steps
Arrange an in-person developmental evaluation with a specialist in child development.
• Request a detailed speech and language assessment.
• Begin early intervention services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and structured play activities — do not wait for the final assessment results to start.
• Provide a low-screen, high-interaction environment with daily activities like reading, singing, and interactive play that encourage eye contact and turn-taking.
• Keep a simple diary of behaviours, responses to activities, and milestones to help guide the evaluation process.
Health Tips
• Arrange an in-person developmental evaluation with a specialist in child development or a child and adolescent psychiatrist/ psychologist .
• Request a detailed speech and language assessment.
• Begin early intervention services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and structured play activities — do not wait for the final assessment results to start.
• Provide a low-screen, high-interaction environment with daily activities like reading, singing, and interactive play that encourage eye contact and turn-taking.
• Keep a simple diary of behaviours, responses to activities, and milestones to help guide the evaluation process.
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Ms. Aarti Chaturvedi
Mental Health Counselor
19 yrs exp
Bengaluru
An evaluation needs to be done. Please contact Psychologist.
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Dr. Mohd Ahsan
Psychiatrist
11 yrs exp
Lucknow
Symptoms are suggestive of virtual autism for which a comprehensive evaluation and management to be done henceforth
Next Steps
consult a psychiatrist
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