iPad and smartphone use by toddlers may inhibit 'social-emotional development': researchers

Using a smartphone or iPad to pacify a toddler may impede their ability to learn self control, new research has shown.

The research also says heavy use of mobile devices at a very young age is having an untold impact on children’s development and behaviour.

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine expressed alarm that though the adverse effects of television and video on very small children is well understood, society’s understanding of the impact of mobile devices on the pre-school brain has been far outpaced by how much children are already using them.

The researchers warned that using a tablet or smartphone to divert a child’s attention could be detrimental to “their social-emotional development”.

“If these devices become the predominant method to calm and distract young children, will they be able to develop their own internal mechanisms of self-regulation?” the scientists asked.

Use of interactive screen time below three years of age could also impair a child’s development of the skills needed for maths and science, they found.

Jenny Radesky, clinical instructor in developmental-behavioural pediatrics at BU School of Medicine, published her team’s research findings in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She urged parents to increase “direct human to human interaction” with their offspring.

Radesky encouraged more “unplugged” family interaction in general and suggested young children may benefit from “a designated family hour” of quality time spent with relatives – without any television and mobile devices being involved.

The researchers pointed out that while there is plenty of expert evidence that children under 30 months cannot learn as well from television and videos as they can from human interaction, there has been insufficient investigation into whether interactive applications on mobile devices produce a similar result.

Radesky questioned whether the use of smartphones and tablets could interfere with the ability to develop empathy and problem-solving skills and elements of social interaction that are typically learned during unstructured play and communication with peers.

Playing with building blocks may help a toddler more with early maths skills than interactive electronic gadgets, the researchers found.

“These devices may replace the hands-on activities important for the development of sensorimotor and visual-motor skills, which are important for the learning and application of maths and science,” Radesky said.

There is evidence that well-researched early-learning television programmes, such as Sesame Street, and electronic books and learn-to-read applications on mobile devices can help vocabulary and reading comprehension, the team found, but only once children are much closer to school age.

Radesky recommended that parents try applications before considering allowing a child to use them.

“At this time there are more questions than answers when it comes to mobile media,” she said.

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