Touch Screen Device Usage and its Effect on Sleep among Young Children: Do Parents Delude Younger Generation Deliberately? Time to Ruminate and Impede this Technological Harm.

Abstract

The American Academy of Pediatrics had recommended that children younger than 2 years should avoid digital media. However, in the Indian context, it was less explored. The study aimed to determine the relationship between touch screen device (TSD) usage and sleep of infants, toddlers. Using a cross-sectional design, 76 parents of infants and toddlers attending well-baby clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India were approached, and 57 parents who fulfilled the eligibility criteria were selected using a nonprobability convenient sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested validated tool including TSD usage pattern, the brief infant sleep questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. The mean age of TSD usage was 15.6 ± 5.8 months with a mean duration of 65 ± 9.6 min/day. Mothers (51%) reported circumstances to offer TSD was feeding the child. There was a significant negative relationship between night sleep and TSD usage among children (r = -0.35, P < 0.01). TSD usage time significantly affects the nighttime duration of sleep of infants and toddlers. Parents to be educated on proper usage and ill effects of TSD to prevent sleep issues.