Medical experts: iPad use at an early age could hinder development

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Technology is a tool that helps make out lives easier. Most school systems use computers and tablets to improve the learning process, but some medical experts say giving iPads to children at a very early age could hinder their development.

Research about tablets and childhood development is still on going, since the technology was only introduced five years ago. But a doctor at Medical Center, Navicent Health says if parent’s aren’t careful, their child could lose some social skills.

“Kids are not born with a fully developed visual cortex,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Young, a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician at the Medical Center, Navicent Health.

Dr. Young knows the first two years of life are critical for a child’s development.

“Kids are learning to make sense of the environment,” said Dr. Young.

She says handing a one-year-old an iPad may not be the best idea.

“If you look at a screen, it’s a flattened two dimensional image. Whereas when you interact with the physical environment, you get a three dimensional object. You can see how it moves. You can feel it, touch it,” noted Dr. Young.

She advises parents to let their children use toys that involve hands on learning, especially during the first two years of life because that’s when kids are still learning how to differentiate between whats 3D and 2D.

“I believe parents that give their kids iPods, tablets, game systems are dumbing their kids down,” said Joseph Wright, a father of a newborn and 3 year old.

Wright won’t be letting his newborn daughter, Persephone, play with a tablet anytime soon.

“They don’t get outside enough. They don’t get to interact with people properly,” explained Wright.

Wright reads to Persephone and wants to continue that one on one interaction as she gets older.

“You may have decreased language development because human beings are programmed to interact with other human beings,” explained Dr. Young.

However, once a child is older, Dr. Young says some apps can help his or her learning process.

“Typically the best ones tend to be interactive. Where the question is prompted, the child has to make an answer, and then they’re sort of rewarded,” said Dr. Young.

But it still doesn’t replace the lessons learned from interacting with another person.

“If you’re not very social you can’t get a good job now a days. I want her to have a better life than me,” said Wright.

There are a number of online resources available to help you figure out what’s best for your child. Dr. Young recommends using pbskids.org, sesameworkshop.org, and healthychildren.org.