Screen time is not quite as bad as a heroin habit
Spending time on electronic devices can be a boon for children’s health and wellbeing, researchers say
Screen time is a relatively new parenting concept — one that sometimes incorporates navigating the realm of parenting through the use of threats and rewards and making the best decisions for your children regarding their health, leisure time and general wellbeing. The only guidelines are new research and studies that often warn of the calamitous consequences of “digital addiction”. But, despite the doom and gloom surrounding the use of smartphones and tablets, new research suggests it is not all bad. In a commentary posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a peer-reviewed medical journal, Dimitri Christakis argues that there is a fine line between beneficial media exposure and damaging media exposure. As the director of the Centre for Child Health, Behavior and Development at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, a professor in the field and a practising pediatrician at Seattle Children’s Hospital, Christakis is a leading expert in the field of child health ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.