Srinagar, May 27 -- The waiting room at the Child Guidance and Wellbeing Centre in Srinagar is packed with anxious parents, their toddlers clutching tablets or staring blankly at walls.

A mother, cradling her two-year-old son, whispers about his delayed speech and tantrums. "He's glued to the phone all day," she says, her voice heavy with guilt.

Across town, at IMHANS Srinagar, Dr. Zaid Wani listens to similar stories daily. "We've seen a 50-60% spike in kids under three showing autism-like behaviors," he tells me, his brow furrowed. "Speech delays, poor eye contact, repetitive actions-parents often say screens are the only thing calming them."

This is the face of "virtual autism," a term that's sparking both worry and skepticism.

Coi...