Distracting preschoolers with devices could cause trouble down the road, study suggests

Parents who steal a moment of calm by handing over a smartphone or tablet to a fussy toddler could set off a cycle of poor anger management and other problems, according to a recent study.

Research published last week in the journal Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says using such devices for emotional regulation "can be effective in the short term" but in the longer term could lead to technological addiction, "screen time tantrums" and make it harder for kids to cope with stressful situations.

#CBC #News #technology #smartphones #children #psychology #research #parenting #internet