WHEN SILENCE MEETS PRESENCE: CASE STUDY OF DIGITAL-ERA DEVELOPMENTAL DISRUPTION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Abstract

This is the Era of digital technology, in which adults as well as children are more exposed to digital gadgets than to human presence. Digital gadgets like smart televisions, mobiles, and tablets. This exposure, when given at an early age, can cause developmental disruptions in children. It includes delayed language, inappropriate speech, decreased reciprocity, and behaviors like those seen in autism. This is a case study of a 4-year-old boy who was exposed to the screen at a very early age, , resulting in profound silence, social withdrawal, and behaviors portraying virtual autism. Guided by Parse's human becoming theory, the nurse ensured her presence to Ali and his family and helped them recognize how convenience, quietness, and digital toxicity have restored their views and expectations of childhood development.

Applying Parse's processes, bridging understanding, coordinating flows, and inspiring transcendence, the family noticed their habitual ways of living. Together, they created innovative ways to interact, play, and connect while reducing unsupervised screen time. Over the course of six months, Ali has changed dramatically, from being quiet to being vocal, from being solitary to being participative, and from being inexpressive to being expressive. In the light of Parse's theory, this case sets an example of how authentic presence can help families to overcome screen-related developmental changes, assist in environmentally driven communication delays and transform everyday routines in the digital Era.