Toddlers and cell phones; time to reconsider policy?
Oct 15, 2014, 6:47 AM | Updated: 6:47 am
"If we give a 15-month-old a screen and we say, prudently, after 15 minutes, 'that's probably enough, let's do something else,' taking a screen away from a 15-month-old is like taking anything else away from a 15-month-old, not going to be that easy," Bellevue pediatrician Donald Shifrin points out. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
(AP Photo/Steven Senne)
For years, child-rearing experts have warned parents to limit a toddler’s exposure to television and videos. In today’s smartphone world, pediatricians are wondering if it might be time to update that policy.
Parents love their smart phones and tablets.
“Because they use tablets so much, because they use cell phones so much and because the cell phones are with them, the youngsters, especially toddlers, will grab them and they are like candy,” said Bellevue pediatrician Donald Shifrin.
Since 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that parents discourage screen use for children younger than two because it disrupts their interactions with caregivers. Many parents now report using portable devices as teaching tools, which begs the question: is the policy outdated?
“Sixty percent of parents surveyed in a New York study said they found these apps to be educational, even though there’s absolutely no research saying there is educational value from these applications on these portable devices,” said Shifrin.
Speaking to a convention of the Academy this week in San Diego, Shifrin said he supports continuing the existing advice about screen time, without suggesting time limits.
“If we give a 15-month-old a screen and we say, prudently, after 15 minutes, ‘that’s probably enough, let’s do something else,’ taking a screen away from a 15-month-old is like taking anything else away from a 15-month-old, not going to be that easy,” Shifrin pointed out. “But, once they finish the book, they’re on to the next book. But the screen never ends.”
The AAP has partnered with The Hillary Rodham Clinton Foundation in a campaign to hand out 500,000 books to children.
“We realize it’s a slippery slope here and that youngsters are going to use tablets, but we’re saying to parents ‘there’s a better way to build your youngster’s brain right now,'” said Shifrin.
He knows kids will be attached to wireless devices soon enough. Shifrin said the most dangerous policy would be to deny them access. The second most dangerous thing, he argued, would be giving them unlimited access.
