SALT LAKE (ABC 4 News) – Recent research shows technology may be changing the way children interact and think.
Children as young as two are using iPads and cell phones to play games or learn.
“These guys seem to pick up pretty quickly how to use the new gadgets,” Erin Searles said of her 2-year-old son, Boston.
Utah parents said they expose their children to technology, but monitor the use. Many feel technology can be used as an educational tool.
“It's amazing how kids are so smart and how they learn so quickly,” Pete Sefakis, a father of two boys, said.
Sefakis believes computers are beneficial to a child’s development if used correctly.
ABC 4 News spoke with children under the age of 4. Each child recognized and identified a cell phone when it was shown to them. Parents said their toddlers used cell phones to play games and take pictures.
Child Psychologist Douglas Goldsmith said digital devices are intuitive, making them easy for children to understand.
“Software manufacturers have studied the brain and how children work effectively so it becomes seamless,” Goldsmith said. “What we are concerned about is screen time.”
Goldsmith said too much screen time can limit a child’s concentration. Children under the age of seven are still developing the ability to pay attention to one activity.
“The pressure from the digital age is to multi-task and our brains were not made to do this,” Goldsmith said.
Researchers recommend shutting off access to any digital device at least one hour before bedtime. They also suggest taking an interest in your child’s digital life, no matter what age.
“Nothing can take the place of the parent,” Sefakis said. “We have to make sure we are watching over what they are doing.”
