The association between smartphone and tablet usage and children development

Abstract

Smartphone and tablet usage duration may relate to problems with early development in children. It is imperative to determine the appropriate duration of its usage by children. The purpose of the study was 1) to investigate the correlation between child development and smartphone and tablet usage duration, 2) to study the correlation of smartphone and tablet usage duration between children and their caregivers, and 3) to correlate child development and other factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Eighty-five community children with a mean age of 4.05 ± 0.91 years were recruited as study subjects. Development was assessed using the Denver Developmental Screening Test II, which includes gross motor, language, fine motor-adaptive and personal-social developments. Subsequently, details of smartphone and tablet usage for the next seven days were recorded. The average duration of smartphone and tablet usage was 82.78 ± 62.82 min/day. In addition, 32.94%, 11.76%, 9.42%, and 2.35%, of children were classified as suspected fine motor-adaptive, personal-social, language, and gross motor development, respectively. The main findings revealed a highly significant correlation between a child's smartphone and tablet usage duration and their gross motor development. Children's smartphone and tablet usage duration showed a positive significant correlation with the duration spent on smartphones and tablets by mothers and relatives. Father's medical history and family income showed a significant correlation with child development. Thus, caregivers must pay attention to the smartphone and tablet usage time of children, mothers and relatives to prevent abnormal development in children.