Martin I. Mateev, Violeta R. Manolova and Stoyan R. Vezenkov
Center for applied neuroscience Vezenkov, BG-1582, Sofia, e-mail: info@vezenkov.com
For citation: Mateev M.I., Manolova V.R. and Vezenkov S.R. (2025) From Nonverbal to Language – How to Counteract Anti-Human Programming Controlling Children with Early Screen Addiction. Nootism 1(1), 52-58, ISSN 3033-1765
*This paper was presented by Martin Mateev at the Second Science Conference "Screen Children" on November 23, 2024, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Abstract
This study examines the impact of early screen addiction on children's language development and social communication, highlighting the role of automated behavioral programs as a major barrier to speech and cognitive growth. The findings reveal that children exposed to screens at an early age develop animalistic and anti-human automatisms—motor acts without external triggers (e.g., toe-walking, hand-flapping, and animal-like vocalizations, etc.) and reactive behaviors (e.g., biting, scratching, head-banging, and gaze avoidance, etc.). These patterns interfere with sensorimotor integration and affective regulation, ultimately suppressing language development.
The physiological basis of this phenomenon is explained through the concept of cortical selective disinhibition, where language, as a higher cognitive function, requires active cortical regulation and suppression of lower automated patterns. However, in children with early screen addiction, primitive neurophysiological programs become dominant, overriding cortical mechanisms and distorting cognitive and social development. The results demonstrate that automatisms and language production are mutually exclusive processes—the stronger the automatic responses, the weaker the child's ability to communicate and use speech meaningfully.
From a therapeutic perspective, traditional language and educational interventions that focus solely on speech reproduction are ineffective, as they do not address the underlying dominance of these automated programs. Instead, a comprehensive intervention strategy is required, integrating sensorimotor regulation, screen detox, social engagement, and cortical rehabilitation. The study’s intervention results show a direct correlation between the reduction of automatisms and language activation. Progress in communication was observed only after significant reductions in sensorimotor blockages and reactive behavioral patterns. These findings underscore the necessity of a multifaceted therapeutic approach that prioritizes the elimination of competing automatisms before language development can take place. The active involvement of parents is crucial, ensuring that children are guided toward real, socially interactive experiences rather than passive digital consumption. The study concludes that successful language acquisition in children with early screen addiction is only possible through the systematic reduction of anti-human automatisms, allowing them to reintegrate into the natural trajectory of human cognitive and social development.
Keywords: early screen addiction, language development, anti-human automatisms
Introduction
In modern society, children are increasingly exposed to screen devices at an early age, raising growing concerns among specialists and parents about the impact of screen addiction on their cognitive, emotional, and language development. Numerous studies indicate that early childhood screen addiction can lead to severe deficits in social communication, including nonverbalism—one of the most distressing and painful symptoms for parents of affected children. The absence of speech and lack of verbal responses cause deep anxiety, often driving families to desperately seek various therapeutic methods and support.
Language is one of the fundamental characteristics that distinguish humans from other biological species. It is not merely a means of communication but a crucial cognitive tool through which individuals structure their thinking, understand the world, and build social connections. Due to the essential role of language, its absence or delayed development in children with screen addiction poses significant challenges, impacting their communication, social integration, cognitive growth, and overall personality development and sense of self. (Tager-Flusberg et al., 2005; Grandgeorge et al., 2009)
Over the past decade, increasing evidence has demonstrated a direct correlation between early, intensive screen exposure and language disorders. Research indicates that children who develop screen addiction before the age of two face an excessive risk of delayed language development and social dysfunction. (Yuan et al., 2024; Anjum et al., 2024; Vogindroukas et al., 2022)
This phenomenon can be attributed to several key factors. First, digital devices replace critical human interactions essential for the maturation of mirror neuron systems—neural mechanisms that enable learning through imitation. When a child observes a real, speaking person, they do not merely process verbal input but also absorb emotional nuances and a multitude of nonverbal cues, including micro-expressions, posture, gestures, breath control, and other subtle communicative signals. These elements collectively contribute to the development of communicative competence.
Language acquisition is not a passive auditory process but an intricate coordination of multiple systems, including autonomic-affective regulation, controlled respiratory flow, vocalization, articulation, cognitive awareness, self-perception, and, most importantly, social context. Unlike real human interaction, digital devices and speakers merely generate acoustic stimuli, devoid of the complex multimodal integration necessary for natural language development.
In screen-based content, this multidimensionality is absent, and language stimulation is reduced to passive consumption of repetitive acoustic stimuli. When a person sings the same song 100 times, each rendition varies slightly, never achieving complete repetition. In contrast, children compulsively listening to the same song hundreds of times on the internet experience an artificial uniformity, to which they quickly develop an addiction. This dependence can become so strong that they refuse to hear the same song sung by their parents, reacting by covering their mouths or even having intense emotional outbursts.
Secondly, studies indicate that early screen exposure leads to hyperstimulation of the visual cortex at the expense of other sensory modalities, potentially impairing the processing of auditory stimuli, including human speech. Children with early screen addiction often exhibit a lack of auditory attention toward people speaking around them, creating the false impression that they "cannot hear" or do not understand speech. In reality, their nervous system has been "trained" to respond to rapidly shifting audiovisual stimuli rather than the slower, natural rhythm of human communication.
Thirdly, from a behavioral perspective, early screen addiction leads to the formation of stereotypical automatisms (Kopelman, 2022) and rigid behavioral patterns that further hinder the development of verbal communication. (McCaldon, 1964) These children become hypersensitive to inanimate (i.e., stereotypical) audiovisual stimuli that require no response or active participation.
Among the observed patterns are a lack of interest in social interactions, avoidance of eye contact, increased irritability when communication is attempted, and even self-injurious behavior. In many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have also experienced early screen exposure, these symptoms are even more pronounced, making the transition out of nonverbalism significantly more challenging. (Ricci et al., 2025)
Research Focus and Objectives
This study examines 35 nonverbal children aged 3 to 6 years diagnosed with autism, all of whom exhibit markers of early screen addiction. The primary goal is to identify and overcome the automatisms that obstruct speech development and to design an effective therapeutic approach for activating language abilities. By integrating simultaneous biofeedback sessions for parents, sensorimotor integration techniques, and a gradual restoration of the children’s mirror neuron systems, the study seeks to answer a critical question: How can we restore language development in children whose neural mechanisms have been "hacked" by early screen addiction?
For parents of these children, the question “When will they start speaking?” is often the key indicator of therapeutic progress. However, the issue extends far beyond the mere ability to speak—language is fundamental to self-regulation, social bonding, and the formation of the self as a cognitive-affective superstructure. Without language, the child remains trapped in instinctive automatisms and sensory chaos, limiting their potential for socialization and independence.
This study aims not only to establish the link between early screen addiction and nonverbalism but also to outline strategies for effective therapeutic intervention. In the long term, its findings may contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying language acquisition and recovery, as well as raise awareness of the risks that excessive screen exposure poses to young children.
Study Design
This study is designed as a longitudinal interventional study aimed at tracking the effects of therapeutic intervention on restoring language abilities in nonverbal children with early screen addiction. The study population consists of 35 children aged 3 to 6 years, all diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and exhibiting confirmed markers of early screen addiction. The primary focus is on identifying and overcoming automatisms that hinder natural language development while exploring strategies to activate latent cognitive and communicative mechanisms.
To assess the effectiveness of the intervention, the study employs a quasi-experimental design with a controlled intervention and long-term outcome monitoring. The children were selected based on strict criteria—all had documented early exposure to screen devices before the age of two and did not use speech as a means of communication. To minimize confounding variables, children with severe neurological disorders or genetic syndromes that could independently impact language development were excluded from the study. This approach ensures that the results specifically reflect the effects of screen exposure and the therapeutic interventions applied.
The therapeutic intervention is conducted over six months, with each child participating in individual therapy sessions once a week, lasting 50 minutes. Parents are actively involved in the program through parallel biofeedback sessions, ensuring that the intervention supports not only the child but also fosters an environment where parents can understand the neurological processes occurring in their child and take an active role in their development.
The core therapeutic modules include several key components. The first is sensory regulation, which aims to reduce visual-auditory overstimulation caused by screen addiction and to regulate the vestibular, tactile, and proprioceptive systems. The second module focuses on sensorimotor integration, targeting the integration of primitive reflexes and the restoration of fundamental motor patterns. The next intervention area directly addresses language development through the activation of mirror neuron networks.
A crucial, foundational component of the intervention is parental involvement, which includes biofeedback neurotherapy, education on language development mechanisms, maintenance of a screen detox regimen, and strategies for enhancing communication with the child.
The evaluation of results is carried out in three key stages: an initial baseline assessment, an intermediate assessment after three months, and a final assessment after six months. During the initial phase, the cognitive and language profile of each child is analyzed, along with their sensorimotor and behavioral characteristics. After three months, an intermediate assessment is conducted to track changes in social interaction, auditory attention, and the first attempts at verbal expression. At the end of the six-month therapeutic cycle, a final assessment is performed to measure communication skills, the degree of reduction in automatic behavioral responses, and the level of social engagement of the child.
Results
1. Classification of Children Based on Symptom Severity
Based on observed clinical characteristics, the children were classified into six main groups according to their level of language abilities.
The first group consisted of children who could hear but did not listen, meaning they failed to register human speech. In these cases, a sensory processing issue was identified, where hyperactivity in the visual cortex "overpowered" other sensory systems, limiting the ability to process auditory stimuli. Characteristic behavioral traits in this group included running, jumping, spinning in circles, and other stereotypical movements, often accompanied by specific vocalizations, toe-walking, and hand-flapping. These automatisms were particularly persistent and became more pronounced when attempts were made to modify the child’s behavior, often triggering intense tantrums involving self-injurious and aggressive behaviors such as scratching, hitting, biting, and screaming.
The second group included children who listened but did not respond to social cues. They demonstrated an understanding of speech but showed no interest in the needs of others. This deficit was linked to dysfunction in the mirror neuron system, which impaired their ability to engage in motor-imitation behaviors. Although some children in this group exhibited automatic speech, it lacked functional meaning and did not serve as a tool for communication.
The third group consisted of children who listened, understood, but did not speak, despite having a desire to communicate. These children demonstrated a partial ability for social learning but required additional "training" of their mirror neuron systems to be able to initiate and sustain verbal communication.
The fourth group consisted of children who could produce individual words or phrases but with limited clarity and functionality. This indicated articulation difficulties, with persistent automatic behavioral patterns remaining a significant barrier to language development.
The fifth group consisted of children who spoke, but in a disorganized manner, lacking contextual logic, humor, or intentionality. The issue might be localized at the level of the prefrontal cortex, where the lack of cognitive integration of linguistic structures hindered the development of coherent and meaningful speech.
The sixth and final group consisted of children who spoke meaningfully but sometimes included automatisms. Their main issue was at the level of inhibition, where partially suppressed automatic behavioral programs were periodically activated, making smooth and natural communication more difficult.
2. Automatisms and Their Overcoming
The automatisms observed in all participants were classified into several main categories:
- Spontaneous automatic acts without external triggers, including toe-walking, hand-flapping, teeth grinding, and the production of specific sounds resembling those of animal species (e.g., imitations of bird or insect sounds).
- Reactive automatic programs, which emerged in response to attempts at interaction. These included tantrums, aggressive outbursts, head-banging against hard surfaces, self-injurious behaviors, and aggression (pinching, scratching, biting), as well as sudden shifts in gaze and avoidance of eye contact.
In all participants, automatisms were found to be in direct competition with speech function, meaning their reduction was a key prerequisite for language development. The data indicated that in children with the most severe automatisms (groups 1 and 2), verbal activity was practically nonexistent at the start of therapy.
3. Stages of Speech Onset and Integration of Language Structures
At the beginning of the study, it was found that all participants had undergone a brief period of verbal activity around their first year, followed by a regression. This corresponded with data on early screen exposure— in two-thirds of the cases, screens had been introduced before the first year of life, and in one-third, as early as 2 to 6 months.
Analysis of speech onset showed that within 3 to 5 months from the start of therapy, most children began producing their first words. A progressive expansion of vocabulary was observed, with words gradually being used in context. A critical moment in the process was the restoration of imitation ability, which was a prerequisite for activating mirror neurons and forming language structures. In this regard, the therapy focused on developing basic motor patterns, establishing a proper body schema, and overcoming motor blockages.
For speech to be fully functional, it required good sensorimotor integration, including free movement of the diaphragm, jaw, and tongue. It was found that children with underdeveloped masticatory muscles and swallowing difficulties exhibited greater challenges in speech production. The reduction of automatisms led to significant improvements in the language and speech abilities of children with early screen addiction, with these changes observable through specific indicators in each of the six identified groups.
In children who "hear but do not listen," the reduction of automatisms was reflected in overcoming dominant visual perception and improving auditory focus. At the beginning of the intervention, these children did not register human speech, and their attention remained fixed on visual stimuli, often accompanied by stereotypical movements such as running, spinning in circles, and hand-flapping. As these motor automatisms decreased, an increased ability for auditory orientation was observed, leading to the first signs of speech recognition and an initial understanding of verbal commands.
In children who "listen but do not respond to social cues," the reduction of automated patterns was associated with an improvement in social interaction abilities. These children demonstrated a basic understanding of speech but showed no interest in social communication and did not respond to attempts at interaction. During therapy, as repetitive motor and vocal automatisms decreased, a gradual shift became evident—eye contact frequency increased, responses to social cues such as smiles and gestures emerged, and stereotypical, nonfunctional speech began to give way to more contextually appropriate expressions.
Children who "listen, understand, but do not speak" showed progress in their speech abilities after the reduction of automatic motor patterns. These children typically understood language but were unable to initiate verbal communication due to deficits in motor coordination and imitation. During the intervention, the reduction of sensorimotor blockages was reflected in the initial emergence of nonverbal forms of communication, such as gaze direction and the use of gestures, followed by the gradual inclusion of vocalizations and the production of first words.
In children who "pronounce words but with limited clarity and functionality," automatisms manifested as articulation difficulties and stereotyped speech production. At the beginning of therapy, speech was fragmented, with low intelligibility and a lack of functional use. As automatic motor patterns decreased and motor control over the articulatory apparatus improved, clearer and more purposeful pronunciation emerged, and speech expressions gained greater communicative significance.
Children who "speak but incoherently" exhibited chaotic and unstructured speech, lacking cognitive integration. In these cases, automatisms were associated with impulsive and disorganized verbal production, making meaningful communication difficult. The reduction of these automatic linguistic responses led to increased logical consistency in speech, better understanding of the communicative context, and a decrease in the frequency of echolalic or nonsensical phrases.
The final group, consisting of children who "speak meaningfully but sometimes incorporate automatisms," was characterized by residual automatic patterns that periodically became activated, disrupting the natural flow of communication. In these children, the reduction of automatisms was reflected in an increasing ability for self-regulation in communicative situations, greater social engagement, and more contextually appropriate use of language.
Analysis and Discussion
The results of the study confirm that automatisms in children with early screen addiction are not isolated phenomena but rather complex neurophysiological and behavioral mechanisms that directly compete with and obstruct language development. Specifically, the analysis indicates that across all groups of children, animalistic or anti-human behavioral programs can be observed, encompassing both spontaneous automatic acts without external triggers and reactive programs that are activated during communication or attempts at interaction with the environment.
Automatic acts without external triggers include toe-walking, hand-flapping, teeth grinding, and the production of specific sounds resembling those of animals—such as bird, mammalian, or insect-like vocalizations. These behavioral manifestations reflect profound sensorimotor dysregulation, in which the nervous system fails to adequately integrate incoming information and instead exhibits primitive, rhythmic, or cyclical motor patterns.
In the context of language development, these automatisms function as neuronal "competitors" to verbal production, a phenomenon most evident in children from the first and second groups. In these cases, the lack of auditory focus and social interest directly contributes to the absence of functional communication.
Automatic reactive programs that manifest during attempts at communication include behavioral patterns such as biting, scratching, pinching, pulling hair, hitting, tantrums, feigned crying, hysterical outbursts, gaze avoidance or sudden shifts in eye contact, head-banging against the floor or walls, and striking one's own body with the hands.
Although these reactions may initially appear to be defensive or compensatory mechanisms, they actually reflect profound affective dysregulation and an inability to exert cognitive control over impulses. Notably, these behaviors tend to become more complex over time, supporting the hypothesis that without active therapeutic intervention, they not only persist but also intensify and deepen.
The phenomenological opposition between animalistic behavioral programs and language production is a key factor in understanding the processes that block speech development. From a neurophysiological perspective, the language system, as a higher-order cognitive mechanism, requires cortical maturation and selective disinhibition—a process in which lower, instinctive programs are suppressed by higher cortical structures.
In cases of delayed or impaired language development, as observed in children with early screen addiction, weakened cortical control leads to the activation of primitive automated patterns, which, in a functional sense, can be described as anti-human.
One of the most significant findings of the study is that language development cannot be achieved as long as these automated patterns remain active. The data show that the reduction of animalistic programs through targeted therapy leads to the activation of verbal production and social engagement.
For example, in children from the third group ("listen, understand, but do not speak"), the first words emerged only after a decrease in the frequency of reactive automatisms such as tantrums and motor rituals. A similar relationship was observed in children from the fifth and sixth groups, where improved cognitive control over language resulted in a reduction of chaotic or impulsive speech.
Difficulties in development are linked to functional and behavioral patterns characteristic of earlier, yet entirely homeostatic, evolutionary phases—marked by animalistic programs that have no analogy in human development and are, therefore, anti-human. These are not simply earlier developmental stages in which children have "frozen" or require further refinement, enhancement, or adaptation to the human world.
The functioning patterns observed—both behaviorally and in terms of motor responses, resembling those of vertebrates and invertebrates—are entirely atypical for childhood or for any phase of human development. Due to their nature, they do not merely delay development and the child's formation as a person but distort it in a profoundly disruptive way, drawing the entire family and social system into the unnatural dynamics of this non-human behavioral framework.
Since language is a deeply human capacity, its acquisition is fundamentally at risk in this context. To achieve language development, all these anti-human programs must be overcome, allowing the child—albeit with some developmental delay—to begin progressing within the realm of human abilities.
This is achieved when the child begins to function within human dimensions—when cortical-level wakefulness emerges and, with the proper guidance from close caregivers, gradually transforms other systems. Such a developmental trajectory allows for compensation and progress, ultimately enabling the child to attain thinking and self-awareness.
Conversely, as long as anti-human programs dominate the child, any form of learning becomes a kind of conditioning, integrating into the child's behavior as automatism, repetition, speech without context, knowledge that cannot be applied meaningfully, a lack of wakefulness and thought, absence of self-awareness, and an inability to mature into the human world with its challenges.
For this very reason, many therapeutic approaches have failed by relying on "educational" methods that, instead of fostering true development, reinforce even deeper automatism, exacerbating dysfunctional patterns that are entirely maladaptive to the human body and its natural modes of functioning and behavior. This study demonstrates that automatic behavioral patterns and language development exist in an antagonistic relationship. The animalistic programs characteristic of children with early screen addiction function as neural blockades that suppress language structures and hinder communicative development. Only through the systematic reduction of these automated patterns can language activation be achieved, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive therapeutic approach that targets not only speech but also overall cognitive and neurophysiological integration.
Conclusion
This study provides significant evidence of the impact of early screen addiction on children's language development and social communication. The analysis of results indicates that automated behavioral programs, emerging as a consequence of early and intensive digital exposure, represent a major barrier to the formation of speech and cognitive development. These automatisms, including animalistic and anti-human behavioral patterns, compete with the language system and its cortical mechanisms, confirming that natural and sustainable language development cannot be achieved without their reduction. The animalistic automatisms observed across all study groups include both motor acts without external triggers (such as toe-walking, hand-flapping, teeth grinding, and the production of sounds characteristic of animal species) and reactive programs that are activated in social communication or in situations of unmet needs (such as aggressive reactions like biting, scratching, pinching, hitting, head-banging against hard surfaces, sudden hysterical outbursts, and gaze avoidance). These manifestations are directly linked to impairments in sensorimotor integration and affective state regulation, with their progression over time leading to even deeper dysregulation. The evidence suggests that automatisms and language production are mutually exclusive processes—the more pronounced the automatic responses, the less developed the ability for communication and the use of speech as a tool for social interaction.
The physiological explanation for this phenomenon is based on the concept of cortical selective disinhibition. Language, as a higher cognitive function, requires active cortical regulation and the selective suppression of lower, primitive automated patterns. However, in children with early screen addiction, the opposite process is observed—rather than forming neural networks that support speech production and social interaction, infantile and even pre-human automated programs become activated, overriding cortical mechanisms. This results in a phenomenologically expressed anti-human behavioral organization, which not only impairs language development but also distorts the child's overall cognitive and social functioning.
The practical implications of these findings are significant. It is evident that traditional language and educational therapies, which rely solely on the mechanical reproduction of speech patterns, are ineffective in these cases, as they fail to address the core issue—the dominance of animalistic programs and the lack of cortical integration. The only way to achieve lasting progress in language development is to first reduce competing automatic processes and create the conditions for the natural activation of speech structures.
The results of the intervention demonstrate a direct correlation between the reduction of automatisms and language development. In children who were completely nonverbal at the beginning of the study, progress in communication skills was observed only after a significant reduction in sensorimotor blockages and reactive programs. This process unfolds in several stages: first, a gradual increase in auditory focus; second, the emergence of social responses (eye contact, orientation toward the speaker); third, the activation of nonverbal communication methods (gestures, facial expressions); and finally, the gradual emergence of verbal production.
These findings are critically important for therapeutic practice. They indicate that any intervention aimed at supporting language development in children with early screen addiction must be comprehensive and include modules for sensorimotor regulation, screen detox, social interaction, and neurophysiological stimulation of cortical mechanisms. The active involvement of parents is also essential, as they must understand the nature of these processes and support their resolution by guiding the child toward real, socially and cognitively enriching stimuli rather than passive digital consumption.
In conclusion, the study confirms that language development in children with early screen addiction is possible only when anti-human automated patterns, which block the formation of communicative and cognitive skills, are overcome. These results have profound theoretical and practical implications, highlighting the need for new therapeutic strategies that address the root causes of impaired language development rather than merely focusing on its symptoms. Only through an integrative and deeply personalized approach can full rehabilitation be achieved, allowing children to return to the natural rhythm of human development.
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