A first-of-its-kind study has revealed that nearly 97 percent of children have used a smart phone before age one, and by age four, three quarters of children own their own cell phone.
The researchers were inspired to conduct this study after observing families in waiting rooms using their smart phones to entertain their children. Published in Paediatrics Journal, the findings are consistent across a wide demographic.
“We see every parent pulling out the iPhone and giving it to their baby,” says Matilde Irigoyen, one of the lead researchers in the study and Chair of the Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Einstein Medical Centre.
Michael Levine, founding director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Centre, a child education research lab, says that the results may be shocking, but they’re reality. The next step is to improve what kids are looking at on the screens.
“Parents don’t need a guilt trip – parents need guidance and support and better-quality stuff that is more intentionally educational.”
According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, while face-to-face learning is essential for child development, smart phones and tablets can be educational. Levine disagrees.
“Infants and toddlers desperately need social interaction and meaningful conversation.”
Words by: Sinead Corcoran
