By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Parents who use a “digital dummy” to calm their child’s tantrums are making behavioral problems worse by harming the youngster’s sleep, warns a new study.
Too much screen time can reduce sleep quality in preschool-age children, say scientists.
Excessive time spent in front of a laptop, tablet, telly or smartphone by toddlers can lead to poor sleep – exacerbating problems such as poor attention, hyperactivity and unstable mood, according to the research.
The findings, published in the journal Early Child Development and Care, show how screen time is “significantly” correlated with increased hyperactive attention problems and emotional symptoms, and with decreased sleep quality.
The research, conducted by scientists in Canada and China, shows how sleep quality is also extensively linked with decreased hyperactive attention problems, emotional symptoms and peer problems.
The findings suggest that sleep quality partially mediates the associations between screen time and hyperactive attention problems and between screen time and emotional symptoms.
Study corresponding author Professor Yan Li, an expert in preschool education from Shanghai Normal University, said: “Our results indicate that excessive screen time can leave the brains of preschool children in an excited state, leading to poor sleep quality and duration.”
Study lead author Dr. Shujin Zhou, also of Shanghai Normal University, said: “This poor sleep may be due to postponed bedtimes caused by screen viewing and the disruption of sleep patterns due to overstimulation and blue-light exposure.
“Screen use might also displace time that could have been spent sleeping and increase levels of physiological and psychological arousal, leading to difficulties in falling asleep,”
The research team surveyed the mothers of 571 preschool children, aged between three- and six years old, in seven public kindergartens in Shanghai.
The mums reported the amount of time their child spent watching electronic screens each day during the previous week.
They then answered questions to assess any behavioral problems their child might have, including hyperactive attention difficulties, emotional symptoms – such as frequent complaints of feeling unwell, and peer problems such as being lonely or preferring to play alone.
Finally, the mothers responded to questions assessing their child’s sleep quality and duration.
Study co-author Dr. Bowen Xiao, of Carleton University in Canada, said: “Our results suggest the presence of a positive feedback loop, wherein increased screen time and sleep disturbances exacerbate each other through cyclic reinforcement, heightening the risk of hyperactive attention problems, anxiety and depression.”
The research team suggests their findings could help toward future treatments and interventions.
Dr. Zhou said: “Understanding the role of screen use in the lived experiences of preschool-age children and its link to behavioral problems during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial.”
She added: “The implications of our study are two-fold: first, controlling screen use in preschool-age children can help alleviate behavioral problems and poor sleep quality.
“And, second, sleep interventions and treatments can be effective in mitigating the adverse effects of screen time on behavioral issues.”
