A new study has uncovered that buying your youngster an iPad is less than ideal for development. And, a new study shows 97% of kids under the age of 4 have used a smartphone and even 75% own a tablet, smartphone, or iPod of their very own.
According to Dr. Hilda Kabali of the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, a small study--which has taken feedback from 350 low-income parents in Philadelphia--has discovered "almost universal exposure, early adoption, and use of mobile media devices among young children."
Approximately 70% of parents say their kids have operated devices without supervision. About 65% said a device was made use of to pacify their child while 25% of parents said they would allow their child to use devices at bedtime (even though screens are not conducive to sleep as per the New York Times).
Also, a large percentage of 1- and 2-year-olds have utilized a cell phone everyday and nearly a third of 3- and 4-year-olds have used over one device at once.
Basically, the kids are not alright.
Matilde Irigoyen, also of Philadelphia's Einstein Medical Center, said to USA Today, "We see every parent pulling out the iPhone and giving it to their baby." Therefore, the study "was sort of validation (in) real life."
And yet, despite what a more "out-of-touch" generation would presume, the American Academy of Pediatrics actually advises utilizing a device with your child, designating time allotment, but also setting up tech-free regions.
At a young age and in an ever-changing landscape of technology, it is certainly beneficial for childrean to get a feel for electronics as they become more central to our daily lives. However this use should be limited as leading experts have stated.
In fact, here is a 2010 editorial by ABC about the same idea.
