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Wagamaga OP t1_izy3hoo wrote

It’s a scene many parents have experienced – just as they’re trying to cook dinner, take a phone call or run an errand, their child has a meltdown.

And sometimes, handing a fussy preschooler a digital device seems to offer a quick fix. But this calming strategy could be linked to worse behavior challenges down the road, new findings suggest.

Frequent use of devices like smartphones and tablets to calm upset children ages 3-5 was associated with increased emotional dysregulation in kids, particularly in boys, according to a Michigan Medicine study in JAMA Pediatrics.

“Using mobile devices to settle down a young child may seem like a harmless, temporary tool to reduce stress in the household, but there may be long term consequences if it’s a regular go-to soothing strategy,” said lead author Jenny Radesky, M.D., a developmental behavioral pediatrician at University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

“Particularly in early childhood, devices may displace opportunities for development of independent and alternative methods to self-regulate.”

The study included 422 parents and 422 children ages 3-5 who participated between August 2018 and January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Researchers analyzed parent and caregiver responses to how often they used devices as a calming tool and associations to symptoms of emotional reactivity or dysregulation over a six-month period.

Signs of increased dysregulation could include rapid shifts between sadness and excitement, a sudden change in mood or feelings and heightened impulsivity.

Findings suggest that the association between device-calming and emotional consequences was particularly high among young boys and children who may already experience hyperactivity, impulsiveness and a strong temperament that makes them more likely to react intensely to feelings like anger, frustration and sadness

“Our findings suggest that using devices as a way to appease agitated children may especially be problematic to those who already struggle with emotional coping skills,” Radesky said.

https://www.newswise.com/articles/study-frequently-using-digital-devices-to-soothe-young-children-may-backfire

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Literatelady t1_j0029v1 wrote

This is really interesting but it makes me wonder about the other distraction techniques we use with children. I was babysitting my nephew and he started crying his eyes out for his mom so I tried to comfort him but I could see he was getting more and more agitated so I used the good old distraction technique. "Hey bud, you excited for Christmas? What are you hoping to get from Santa?" I wonder if that's also problematic. My mom did this all the time to me as a child (distraction) and I wonder if that's why I'm so bad at processing or dealing with emotions.

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helm t1_j0169qg wrote

No, distraction is good. What you did was distraction by shifting attention of thought, not by one specific external thing (screen entertainment). Distracting with snacks also works short term, but leads to problems long term (snacking as a coping strategy).

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TheRiverOtter t1_j020fpu wrote

> snacking as a coping strategy

This is the one my wife struggles with. Her family always had lots of sweets around when she was growing up. Rewards for good behavior and pacification were done through food.

We're being extremely deliberate with our twins about rewards being extra "one-on-one time" going on adventures or playing with mom or dad. We still do sweets and screen time, just not in connection with behavioral triggers. When they are upset we make a point to talk through the emotions.

We do have a hidden stash of kids books in our closet that we use as bribes / rewards when absolutely necessary (getting over the fear of a doctor visit), which has baffled other parents that we can "get away with bribing our kids with books".

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JamesRobertWalton t1_j02z9bo wrote

Nah, a distraction like that can be good for a young child, so long as it’s not the only technique you use over time. A young child crying over their parent not being present is just a sign of separation anxiety. It’s nothing like giving a misbehaving child a reward (mobile device) to make them stop misbehaving (which is what I think the parents in the study were often doing), though one still shouldn’t give a child a mobile device, as the study states it likely stunts a child’s ability to cope with certain emotions. I’ve known many adults who have undergone immense emotional stress over an event & they often find a distraction in a project or hobby. It may not be perfect, but it helps keep them from dwelling on the stressful event &/or doing something extreme.

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