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LETTING TODDLERS PLAY frequently on tablets, phones and game consoles could be putting them at a higher risk of emotional and behavioural problems when they start school, a new study suggests.
Pre-schoolers who extensively use electronic media are more likely to have hyperactivity issues, a short attention span, poor concentration and peer relationship issues when they turn five compared to their peers, academics found.
Researchers, from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, said that increased screen time has “multiple risks” for child wellbeing.
A new study, published in the journal BMJ Open, examined data on around 700 Finnish children.
Parents reported how much time their child spent using electronic media at 18 months and five years of age.
They found that 95% of pre-school children spent more than an hour on a screen every day.
The World Health Organisation says that screen time is not recommended for children under two.
Those aged two to four should not engage in more than an hour of screen time each day, and “less is better”, the guidance states.
The Finnish study found that the average screen time of a five-year-old was 114 minutes a day.
And for 18-month-olds it was an average of 32 minutes.
The authors found that high levels of screen among five-year-olds was linked to a risk of “multiple psychosocial problems”, including attention and concentration difficulties, hyperactivity and impulsivity, emotional internalising and externalising symptoms, and conduct problems.
But when they delved into the information further they found that lots of TV time at five years had an increased risk of several psychosocial problems.
But they said that playing video games had fewer associations but it was linked to hyperactivity.
Meanwhile, they found that 18-month-olds who had higher than recommended screen time were more likely to have “peer problems” later on.
But they said that they did not find a high usage level of electronic devices at 18 months of age to be associated with other problems in psychosocial well-being later on.
The authors conclude: “As our results point out, increased screen time has multiple risks for children’s psychosocial well-being.
“These risk factors might accumulate in the long term and cause problems in children’s socio-emotional development later on.
“One possible mechanism accounting for the result might be that the time children spend on e-media reduces the time spent on constructive activities such as interactions with family members, reading and playing.”
“Why is this TD so incredibly upbeat about Fianna Fáil?” Because he’s deluded.
Good man les, you beat me to it.
As I read the article the only comment I wanted to make was the word ‘deluded’…
It just seemed like the obvious answer.
How to spell Fianna Fáil in English = SDLP
Ff the so called republicans that sold our sovereignty to the neo- liberals for paper.They are deluded nuts
Timmy Dooley, the Jeremy Kyle of the parliamentary sheep. baaaaaaaaah
I read the headline, the 1st thing i thought of was “deluded”. Then read the comments, “deluded, deluded, deluded….. So consensus, the poor guy needs some help, medical help!
Totally DELUDED & BRAINWASHED.
Another FF Party Sheep who allowed FF (specifically Ahearn & Cowen) wreck this country & enslave future generations.
Total Gombeens.
Show me a time when Fianna Fail didn’t just exist for its own sake?
The poor man must be smoking soon skunk he’s usually an angry so and so.
No substance can be blamed for ones closed mindedness.
Looking forward to not voting Fianna Fail in the next election. As bad as things may be they are not the answer that I’m looking for.
Too right. I’ll be leaving them off my ballot completely.
17% support is still shameful for this treasonous party.
Just goes to show 17% of our population are drug addicts.
What does Fianna Fáil stand for?
A Great question,
I guess that if you look back at the last 30 years Fianna Fail stand for theft, corruption and enriching Fianna Fáil people at the expense of the rest of us!
They would embarrass the Mafia in fairness.
1. Remove head from a^se
2. Look upbeat
3. Shove head back up ar^e
Looks like Tony Blair when his heads out.
See kids, this is what happens when you do drugs. Just say no!
“Just say know” was a campaign in america against just say no. Prohibition has failed so let’s educate the population on responsible drug use.
Side issue sorry
grange hill had a just say no campaign when zammo was chasing the dragons as well great show his girlfriend was a cracker.
Met him canvassing in Meath a few years ago, absolute muppet.
Another deluded politician for feck sake I saw him standing at a roundabout in the Shannon industrial estate a number of years ago waving at the cars going past. Shows the standard of politicians we elect sadly……
Maybe he thought he was at Shannon airport. ..waving at all the cars!
Dummy Tooley.
“Fianna Fáil shouldn’t exist just for Fianna Fáil’s sake”
… hello! ….“Fianna Fáil DO exist just for Fianna Fáil’s sake”
That’s simple , because he is Timmie (the dog)
Go away Timmy go away FF. PLEASE PLEASE just f**k off back down the sewer de Valera formed ye in all those yrs ago.
Yeah De Valera formed them to satify his own ego & in so doing caused a civil war after the majority of Irish Citizens voted for the treaty.
F^u^kers the lot of them.
Murdering b^^tards.
Destroy them in election.
Deluded as usual!
Man makes me want to puke!!! A career wanna be politician with absolute zero to offer. Get off the stage Timmy FFS.
“Do you have any policies?”
“Meh”
Same applies to renua, this new independent alliance and labour given their love of all things FG.
I will be voting for Fianna Fáil as I think that they are the only credible party and always have been.
gerry you lost me when you said “I think”…..
Ok gerrmiah it’s time for your nighty nighty snoozy snooze.
Deluded fool!
Well would you look at that. A political artical in the journal that nearly everyone can have agreement on. Even the FG/LAB supporters.
And that Agreement is. Jesus Christ What ever you DO DON’T VOTE FOR F.F. things are bad enought.
FF will soon be confined to the pages of history and we will be free from one of the biggest parties of corruption and greed..more to follow, I hope and pray.
Will only happen if you and me and the rest of the electorate make it happen. They are a cancer. My personal belief is that the main players in the last government would be in jail if we had proper protections and laws in this country. So the only thing that’s open to me as a voter is to ensure I vote in every election and to vote strategically to ensure that FF get absolutely no benefit or preference from my vote.
I’ll be doing the same for FG and Labour as well if they don’t get their act together.
TIMMMAAAY!
Because he is a bit of an as$ hole!
Hang down your head Timmy Dooley.
Because the gravy train rolls on no matter who is leader of the party.
Get up- claim expenses- fix pot hole up road for Mrs Murphy- discounted drinks in Dail bar- collect massive salary
Repeat
The man he smoke all the crack
And this is why they are doing so poorly. Because they refuse to deal with reality
have your say