Early phone use threatens children's development

Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Health Sciences Faculty Child Development Department Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yaşar Barut, in a written statement, emphasized that the increased time children, especially those between the ages of 0 and 6, spend in front of screens poses critical developmental risks.

Barut, stating that children's early exposure to phones can have negative effects on their development, warned, "Exposing children to phones at an early age can have negative effects, especially during the 0-6 age period, when brain development is most rapid. Experiential learning, play, and human interaction are critical for children in the 0-6 age group. Passive screens like phones can cause delays in developmental areas such as understanding language and recognizing and expressing emotions."

Barut noted that long-term use of digital devices such as phones and tablets can lead to problems such as attention deficit, sleep disorders and poor social skills in children, and noted:

Scientific research has shown that prolonged exposure to screens is associated with attention deficit, hyperactivity, sleep problems, and poor social interactions in children. Digital content, particularly those that contain rapid visual transitions, can shorten children's attention spans. Furthermore, blue light can suppress sleep hormones, making it harder for children to fall asleep. In terms of social development, the replacement of face-to-face interactions with screens negatively impacts the development of empathy and the ability to read social cues.

Many parents turn to digital devices to calm or distract their children. This is wrong. Using phones as a 'soothing' or 'reward-punishment tool' can hinder children's development of emotional regulation skills. Instead of learning to cope with challenging emotions, children can become dependent on external means to suppress them. Using phones as a sedative can lead to difficulties coping with emotions like stress, anxiety, or anger later in life.

Parents should be role models for their children in using technology.

Barut stated that families and teachers have a great responsibility to ensure that children develop a healthy relationship with technology, and emphasized that parents should be good role models for their children in terms of technology use.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yaşar Barut explained that screen time should not exceed 1 hour a day, especially in the preschool period, and offered the following advice:

Instead, encouraging children to read books, play outdoors, and engage in creative activities is much more beneficial. Watching digital content with your child and then talking about it helps them understand the digital world and develop media literacy. Furthermore, scheduling time away from screens—for example, taking digital breaks at mealtimes or before bed—is highly effective in fostering healthy usage habits.

Government policies should integrate media literacy into school curricula to ensure children are informed about healthy digital media use. Families should be provided with guidance, and active learning should be encouraged instead of screen time. The "screen detox days" implemented in Scandinavian countries and limited screen time policies in Japan are among the successful examples of helping children develop healthy relationships with technology.