Tuesday 19th, March 2024
canara news

Avoid giving smartphone to calm down your kid, say experts

Published On : 22 Oct 2016


New York, (IANS) Parents may please take note that it is just not all right to hand your child a smartphone to calm him/her down at home even if it helps keep peace in the house, according to the new guidelines released by the American Academy of Pediatrics on Friday.

Although there are specific instances when using digital media as a soothing tool is helpful, such as on airplanes or during medical procedures, parents should avoid using media as the only way to calm down children, the authors noted.

Using devices as a common soothing strategy may limit children's ability to regulate their own emotions, said one of the lead authors of the statement Jenny Radesky from University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in the US.

"Digital media has become an inevitable part of childhood for many infants, toddlers and preschoolers, but research is limited on how this affects their development," Radesky noted.

"What we do know is that early childhood is a time of rapid brain development, when children need time to play, sleep, learn to handle emotions, and build relationships. Research still suggests that excessive media use can get in the way of these important activities. Our statement highlights ways families and pediatricians can help manage a healthy balance," Radesky noted.

For children aged two to five years, media should be limited to one hour a day, the statement said, and it should involve high-quality programming or something parents and kids can view or engage with together.

With the exception of video-chatting, digital media should also be avoided in children younger than 18 months old, the authors noted.

Too much time using digital media in the wrong way is linked to children's quality of sleep, child development and physical health, according to the guidelines.







More News

Mother-daughter conflict ups suicide risk in abused teen girls: Study
Mother-daughter conflict ups suicide risk in abused teen girls: Study
Novel wearable ultrasound patch monitors BP inside body
Novel wearable ultrasound patch monitors BP inside body
Mental health may not ruin teenagers' friendships: Study
Mental health may not ruin teenagers' friendships: Study

Write your Comments

Disclaimer: Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. canaranews.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that under 66A of the IT Act, sending offensive or menacing messages through electronic communication service and sending false messages to cheat, mislead or deceive people or to cause annoyance to them is punishable. It is obligatory on CANARANEWS to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using canaranews will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will canaranews.com be held responsible.