Almost 40 percent of parents allow their children aged under five to look at electronic screens for more than an hour a day, a survey has found.
This goes against health warnings that those aged under two should not use electronic devices at all, while those between two and six should limit their use to an hour a day.
The Community Lab of Path of Democracy surveyed 300 parents to find out about their children’s use of electronic products, such as televisions, mobile phones and iPads.
It found that 39 percent of children spend more than an hour on electronic devices, while 7 percent of respondents even said their kids used them for more than three hours a day.
Optometrist Andy Meau Yin-tai said a child is still in the prime of growth and development before the age of five and if they spend too much time looking at electronic screens, the strong light emitted from such devices may cause short-sightedness or astigmatism.
“Children usually stay indoors when they’re using electronic products and always looking at objects at a short distance will easily cause short-sightedness,” he said. “It’s best for parents to take their kids to outdoor playgrounds.”
Psychologist Victor Ching Wai-keung said long-term usage of electronic screens may lead to children having low concentration and slow language development.
He recalled the story of a parent allowing his child to use an electronic device for up to eight to nine hours a day because both parents had to work and earn a living.
However, when the child turned three, his parents found that he could only express himself with single words and could not comprehend sentences.
“He couldn’t even say phrases such as playing ball games and riding a car,” Ching said.