Effects of early screen use on child neurodevelopment in Argentina and Latin America

Sofía Veneziano and Patricia Salguero

Gamification and Augmented Reality, 2024, vol. 2, 20

Abstract: Currently, the constant presence of electronic devices has generated concern among health professionals and educators about their effects on children's neurocognitive development. This study addressed the relationship between early screen use and neurodevelopment in children in Argentina, with a comparative Latin American perspective. During the first years of life, the brain goes through a critical stage of development characterised by high plasticity and synaptic expansion, where sensory experiences and human interaction play a key role. In Argentina, research revealed that 80.3% of children under the age of two watched television and 37.4% used touch screens with help. Among 2-4 year olds, 38.7% used screens without assistance. A relationship was also found between the mother's educational level and the time dedicated to stimulating activities such as reading. Excessive screen use was associated with language delays, attention and executive difficulties, sleep disturbances and an increase in sedentary behaviour and obesity. The Argentine Society of Paediatrics, like the WHO and the AAP, recommended avoiding screen exposure in children under two years of age. At the Latin American level, the high penetration of electronic devices and the lack of information contributed to excessive use, even in low-resource contexts. The study concluded that it is necessary to promote active parenting practices, implement information campaigns and develop public policies that protect the integral development of children.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dbk:gammif:v:2:y:2024:i::p:20:id:20

DOI: 10.56294/gr202420

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Gamification and Augmented Reality from AG Editor
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Javier Gonzalez-Argote ().