An interesting study at Seattle Children’s Hospital looks at the use of tablets and other similar electronic devices by young children. In 2011, Dimitri Christakis, M.D., MPH, and a panel of experts, supported the American Academy of Pediatrics’ stance that discouraged the use of any media by children younger than 2. However, in a new opinion essay, Christakis believes that stance should be updated to differentiate between traditional media and new technologies such as the iPad and other tablets.
The difference, he says, is in the way children interact with tablets versus traditional media. When watching movies on television, children are passive participants. Tablets are different because they provide a way for the child to participate in the entertainment and learning. The other benefit of tablets is that with so many apps available and new ones being created daily, there are many choices for every skill level as the child grows.
Christakis is currently leading new research at Seattle Children’s Research Institute to explore the possible benefits and risks of young children using tablet devices. He believes that 30 to 60 minutes a day using age-appropriate apps may be beneficial. For more information on these studies and other research happening at Children’s Hospital, visit their blog at https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org.
