Impact of Using Digital Devices on the Health of Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background and Objective: Nowadays, the use of digital devices such as televisions, DVDs, smartphones, tablets, and computer games is increasing among children. The present study was conducted with the aim of understanding the potential effects of the use of media in children. Instruments and Methods: In the present systematic review, domestic and International articles investigating the effect of using digital devices on children's health were examined (International articles published from 2007 to 2017). This study was conducted in accordance with the Publishing Requirements for Industry Standard Metadata (PRISM) guidelines. After the screening, by attention to the articles outcome variables, results in 3 categories including physical, cognitive, social-emotional-behavioral effects were analyzed and deduced. Results: The extreme use of media is associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity, changes in food habits and the pattern of sleep, structural changes in the brain, motor and language delays, weaknesses in the vocabulary domain, verbal intelligence and executive functions, emotional, communicative, social, and behavioral problems. Conclusion: Due to the adverse effects of digital devices on the health of children, the use of digital devices should be limited and parents. Parents should enrich the child's environment with social, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral stimuli by creating a lifestyle that is full of human interaction so that the children will be less inclined towards digital devices, thus preventing the harmful effects of using digital devices.