Giving a toddler an iPad for just an hour a day can impair their ability to understand the world around them, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia found that any screen time beginning at age one was associated with a twofold increased risk of unusual sensory behaviors, such as an inability to respond to the sound of their name.
Each additional hour of screen time doubled the risk of later sensory behavioral problems compared to children not exposed to digital media.
Children with sensory processing disorder, often associated with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may be extremely sensitive to light and loud sounds or otherwise seek additional stimulation.
Their findings add abnormal sensory processing to the list of potentially serious consequences of spending too much time on screens, including language delays, poor cognitive function and the development of autism.
Any time spent watching TV and movies from age 1 was associated with a twofold increased risk of unusual sensory behaviors, such as an inability to respond to name calling at 33 months.
Despite the well-known harmful effects of too much time in front of TVs, iPads and other electronic devices, children are more attached to screens than ever before.
In 2014, American children aged two and younger spent an average of more than three hours a day in front of screens, up from one hour and 19 minutes a day in 1997.
Doctors at Drexel University analyzed data from nearly 1,500 children admitted between 2011 and 2014. Parents were asked about their children’s exposure to television and films at 12 months, 18 months and 24 months.
About 11 percent of parents said their child did not watch television or DVDs by the age of 18 months.
About 48 percent of them said their children watch media about half an hour a day, 18 percent said their children watch two hours a day, and eight percent said their children watch three to five hours a day.
At 12 months of age, any screen exposure was associated with a 105 percent higher likelihood of exhibiting “high-value” sensory behaviors at 33 months of age compared to children who had no screen time, which is associated with the inability to respond appropriately to stimuli in their environment.
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Researchers at Tohoku University in Japan examined 7,000 babies between 2013 and 2017, about half girls and half boys. Those who had the most screen time before the age of one were the slowest to develop.
After 18 months, each additional hour of daily screen time increased the likelihood of engaging in “high” sensory behavior, which involves avoidance of sensations and low registration of external stimuli, such as calling their name, by 23 percent.
After 24 months, each additional hour of screen time was associated with a 20 percent increase in the odds of experiencing “high” sensation seeking, sensory sensitivity, and sensation avoidance at 33 months.
Dr. Karen Heffler, lead author and associate professor of psychiatry at Drexel’s College of Medicine, said: “Given this link between high screen time and a growing list of developmental and behavioral problems, it may be helpful for young children who exhibit these symptoms to get one to to undergo a study.” Period of screen time reduction, along with sensory processing practices by occupational therapists.”
Looking for feelings may include staring at bright lights, watching ceiling fans spin, spinning in place, chewing or constantly touching objects, and listening to loud noises.
In sensation avoidance, a child actively tries to avoid overstimulation in the form of loud noises and bright lights or unpleasant tastes or smells.
The study found no direct cause-and-effect relationship between sensory impairment and excessive screen time in early life.
However, the results suggest that the latter may strengthen connections between brain regions responsible for processing sensory stimuli such as smells and sounds, which are often found in people with autism spectrum disorder.
The researchers said: “To the extent that prolonged periods of screen time may increase the risk of ASD symptoms, the present results suggest the possibility that screen time affects sensory development.”
Their research specifically focused on television and DVD viewing, rather than the use of ubiquitous tablets and smartphones. Despite the slight technological differences between a television screen and that of an iPad, the effects are likely to be the same, if not very similar.
It was published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
