A new study has found that the more time toddlers spend using iPads and other touchscreen devices, the more likely they are to have sleep problems. The UK survey also revealed that three quarters of children aged six months to three years use a touchscreen device every day. However, there are also positive benefits of toddlers using touchscreens according to the study, which was carried out by Dr Tim Smith, a psychology lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London and King’s College London.
Dr Smith stated that, light emitted by electronic screens has been shown to lower levels of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin in adults, and this could also be the case for young children. Parents are wondering what the potential impact might be on their children, but the technology is such a recent introduction into family life, that the science cannot yet inform them on how their children should be using the devices.
The study also revealed some positive impacts, including improvements to motor skills that meant they were able to stack blocks earlier.
To carry out the research, Dr Smith and his colleagues sent an online survey to 715 parents asking questions about their children’s daily touchscreen use and sleeping habits. They found that for each hour spent using a touchscreen device, children lost nearly 16 minutes of sleep.
Toddler Using Touch Screen PC
