The effects of digital technology use on children raise many potential concerns for parents and child advocates. In a world where technology is ever evolving, and children are becoming more adept with technology usage, it raises questions about what impacts this increase in technological use may have on children. Dr. Andrew Doan states regarding technological use amongst young children, “The American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends less than 2 hours of screen time total per day. Right now the average American child gets 7 and a half hours of screen time.” (University of California Television, 2017). This can be seen as quite troubling as clearly, many children today are getting an excessive amount of screen time. This helps beg the question of; What are the impacts of excessive use of passive digital technology on children’s physical development during early childhood? This question helps explore the effects of digital technology use on children, by focussing specifically on the excessive use of passive digital technology in children within the early childhood age range (0-6 years old). Early childhood sees children reach significant milestones surrounding physical development, including growth, gross motor, and fine motor development (Welsh Assembly Government, 2008). This makes it especially important to consider the impacts that technology use may be having on children in this critical age range. The points discussed in this blog will include the impacts of digital technology use on children’s levels of physical activity, amount of sleep, and time spent outdoors.
Digital Technology Use and Early Childhood Physical Development 