Greater Exposure to Technology Impacting Children

student_ipad_school – 124” by Brad Flickinger licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: NPR

With handheld tablets and other forms of technology becoming more conventional within elementary school classrooms, parents and doctors alike have become concerned children will become negatively impacted by their exposure to small screens.

In a report released by the nonprofit organization Common Sense Media, 98 percent of homes with children have at least one tablet or smartphone.

As a result, children on average spend over 45 minutes per day on handheld tablets, which is a nearly 50 minute increase from 2011.

Additionally, children aged 8 and under spend over 2 hours a day using television and computers, prompting doctors and advocates to warn parents regarding the potential side effects of technology.

“There are big implications for brain and social-emotional development, many of which we don’t know the answer to,” said James Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense Media, of the recent findings.

Read Full Story: NPR

Children & Families, News
Children & Families, News