Optical Prism July 2019 | Page 40

News Screen time linked to developmental delays in kids By Jody Johnson-Pettit Children and technology are practically inseparable these days. of Psychology at the University of Calgary and the study’s lead author. However, digital screens have long been a concern in the eye care industry, due to the potentially damaging effects of blue light exposure. “We were particularly interested in the long- term impact of screens, which is why we followed children from ages two to five over time and repeatedly assessed both screen time use and children’s developmental outcomes.” And now, a new study has linked excessive screen time with developmental delays in young children. “Screens have become a significant concern for parents, so we wanted to find out whether or not too much screen time was impacting children’s developmental trajectories,” says Dr. Sheri Madigan, assistant professor in the Department 38 Optical Prism | July 2019 The study, published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics, examined the association between screen time and early childhood development in 2,500 Alberta homes between 2011 and 2016.