SEATTLE (CBS Seattle)– Exposure to mobile media devices is “almost universal” by the time children are four years old, and that applies to kids from low-income families as well, according to new research.
Albert Einstein Medical Center researchers collected data from the parents of 350 children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old while answering survey questions, as reported by CBS News. The participants came from a low-income, minority, urban community.
The findings suggest that 97 percent of households had televisions, 83 percent had tablets, and 77 percent had smartphones.
Previous research has revealed that technology use among young children is high, but study author Dr. Matilde Irigoyen and her team wanted to learn how often and what age children began using mobile devices.
“We looked at how young children, ages 4 and under, used mobile media,” Irigoyen told CBS News. “I was surprised by some of the findings.”
The study found that half of children had their own television by the age of 4, while three quarters had their own mobile devices. Two-thirds of 4-year-olds had a tablet, the authors say.
“We were also surprised to see how many of them used it without assistance. By [age] 3 and 4, half of the children could use mobile devices without any help. They become very skilled very soon,” Irigoyen told CBS News.
According to the surveys, most children started using mobile devices within the first year of life. Three out of four parents reported using mobile devices to keep children entertained or calm while out in public or doing household chores.
Experts say that today’s children are living in a digital age and that interaction with technology is a part of everyday life.
“More than ever, we have to continue as parents and as a community to be thoughtful about how we curate our kids’ use of devices, not so much finger-wagging,” Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, executive director of Digital Health at Seattle Children’s Hospital, told CBS News.
Swanson notes that parents should be cautious in the material their children have access to, and that while there are thousands of educational apps, they should be vetted carefully.
Researchers also suggest setting times where children don’t use technology at all, such a “tech-free” zones during bedtime.
“The study showed kids are getting handed a device at bedtime and that’s where I think screens can be really detrimental to health. Bedtime rituals are precious – reading, singing, being with family. And bedtime rituals are really important to good sleep hygiene,” Swanson said.
The study did not explore the impact of the devices and researchers say more work is needed in order to update guidelines and recommendations for mobile use among young children.
