Air raid alerts, life shuttling between home and shelters, remote work, and a constant stream of news have changed the daily lives of Ukrainian families—gadgets have become a common way to calm a child. Experts warn that regular screen time can negatively affect the development of children under two years of age.
This is confirmed by a large-scale international study, the results of which were published by British researchers from four universities—Leeds, Leeds Trinity, Loughborough, and Aston.
The researchers concluded that regular use of smartphones, tablets, or other screen-based devices by children under two years of age is associated with potential long-term health risks. Therefore, they recommended completely avoiding situations where gadgets are intentionally turned on for infants simply to keep them occupied so they don’t disturb anyone.
In recent years, screens have become a common part of childhood. While parents are working, taking care of household chores, or checking news about the security situation, toddlers often spend their time watching cartoons or children’s videos. Today, gadgets are frequently used as a quick way to distract or calm a child.
Scientists warn that gadgets deprive children of the opportunity for face-to-face interaction with their parents, limit their physical activity, and even affect speech development. According to the study, other major risks include sleep problems, overstimulation of the nervous system, potential effects on eye health, and an increased risk of childhood obesity.
Denis Boichuk, coordinator of the Research Institute of Neurodevelopment, Neurology, and Rehabilitation and a physician specializing in epilepsy, explained why the first two years of life warrant special attention:
“This is one of the most intensive periods of brain development. It is during this time that a vast number of neural connections are formed, which are responsible for speech, memory, emotional regulation, attention, and social skills. For proper development, a child needs lively interaction with adults and other children, the opportunity to imitate actions, adequate physical activity, exploration of the environment, and emotional contact and feedback from the environment. Overexposure to stimulation also poses a risk. Bright images, rapid frame changes, and a constant stream of information can interfere with natural attention processes and disrupt sleep.”
The study was conducted by British researchers, but the problem is particularly acute in Ukrainian families. Amid frequent shelling, for many parents, a phone becomes a way to keep a child occupied during long stays in a shelter or while traveling to a safer place.
Digital devices are increasingly becoming a tool for calming children. Infants begin to feel more comfortable not through contact with their parents, but while looking at a smartphone or tablet. According to the study’s authors, this may affect the development of a child’s emotional attachment and future behavior.
The problem also lies in the fact that parents themselves often lack clear guidelines on gadget use. As a result, the constant presence of screens begins to be perceived as the norm. Parents behave this way, and children pick up these habits from an early age.
News from the front lines, work chats, messages from family members, and alerts. Many parents unconsciously spend a significant portion of their time on their phones, even when they’re right next to their children. Young children quickly pick up on this behavior and begin to view the gadget as the main center of attention in the family.
Experts advise against trying to completely give up technology, but rather to establish healthy rules for its use. For children under two years old, the priority should remain face-to-face communication, active play, walks, reading books, and interacting with the world around them. Even the study’s authors acknowledge that avoiding passive screen time is nearly impossible in today’s world, but they emphasize that additional, intentional screen time offers no benefits and only increases potential risks to a child’s development.
Amid the war and constant stress, Ukrainian parents must strike a balance between reality and their child’s needs. But right now, when gadgets have become an integral part of life, it is especially important to remember: the best environment for a toddler’s development is not smartphones and tablets, but communication, care, and the presence of loved ones. The conclusion reached by British researchers is simple: the first two years of life are crucial for brain development, and no screen can replace a child’s live interaction with their parents.
We would like to remind you that a joint Ukrainian-American project, the Research Institute of Neurodevelopment, Neurology, and Rehabilitation, is operating in Ukraine. One of its main areas of focus is researching the impact of war on public health and neurotrauma. The project provides diagnosis and support for children and adults, as well as science-based recommendations for parents. Brain examinations are conducted using an electroencephalograph. Information for veterans is available on the website veterano.info.
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https://veterano.info/smartfon-zamist-dytynstva-chy-spravdi-gadzhety-shkodyat-rozvytku
