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Parents who limit their children’s screen time may be doing them a favor. A new study found that babies who spend a lot of time looking at iPads and other screens have developmental delays.
This week was published by Journal of the American Academy of Pediatricsthis new study from Japan suggests that viewing a screen may limit young children’s ability to practice real-world motor skills that come from imitating someone nearby. I’m here.
The survey asked parents of more than 7,000 surveyed children a simple question: “How many hours do you typically let your children watch TV, DVDs, video games, and Internet games (including mobile phones and tablets)?” ”
Tracking outcomes starting in infancy (meaning less than 1 year old) and ending at age 4, the scientists found that increased time spent looking at screens was associated with gross and fine motor skills, verbal skills, and more. , could be correlated with developmental delays in social skills, etc. .
Researchers found that by the age of two, children with up to four hours of screen time per day were up to three times more likely to develop communication delays and problem-solving skills, and spent more than four hours looking at a screen. children who had almost no screens per day 5 times Communication delays are also likely to occur.
“Children learn how to speak when prompted to do so, but they often don’t get the chance to practice speaking just by looking at a screen,” says Dr. John Hutton, Ph.D. He is a community pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati and was not involved in the study. Said CNN. “They may hear a lot of words, but they don’t practice saying a lot of words or interacting with them many times.”
Along with the importance of play and social interaction in the development of motor skills, communication skills and social skills, using tablets to deal with discomfort (which many parents do when their children are fussy) is also a great way to help children. may adversely affect the mental health development of children. likewise.
“Long-term, one of the real goals is for kids to be able to sit quietly and have their own thoughts,” Hutton added. “If they’re allowed to be a little bored, it’s a little bit uncomfortable, but then they’re like, ‘Okay, I want to be more comfortable.’ That’s how creativity happens.”
Of course, adults also find it difficult to sit quietly and think for themselves, and often turn to screens to relieve boredom and discomfort. So maybe we ourselves can learn something from this research.
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