ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Excessive exposure of children to electronic devices is related to an increased risk for diabetes and obesity and greater chance of developing visual and cognitive disorders.

Objective: To understand the time spent with screens (cell phone, tablet, computer, and television) by children under 5 years old in Goiânia-Goiás-Brazil and analyze the consequent impacts of this habit and parental positioning.

Methodology: Observational and cross-sectional study, which consisted of applying a questionnaire to guardians of pediatric patients seen in pediatric offices from the Hospital de Clínicas of the Federal University of Goiás (HC-UFG), after approval by the ethics committee. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science, version 26.0. The significance level adopted was 5% (P < 0.05).

Results and Discussion: Seventy children participated in the study. 24% of children under two years old and 76% aged between 2 and 5 years old used screens for 2 hours or more per day, a time higher than the limit recommended by significant health entities. Only 12.9% were not authorized to use electronic devices. Children using screens for <2h/day had lesser reports of attention deficit and an association with harmful habits such as use during meals and when sleeping. The majority of those responsible were aware of the harmful effects of screen use by children, both in those who allow screen use for less than 2 hours a day (62.2%) and those who allow it for more hours (68%). The profession of the guardians also demonstrated statistical relevance: among the children who used screens >2h/day, 64% were under the supervision of independent professionals, and many of these guardians (40%) justified allowing the use of electronic devices as a way of distracting the child for carry out domestic activities or work, allowing an absence from the parental role. The main impacts reported included emotional problems, such as difficulty socializing, anxiety, and irritability (77.8%), followed by difficulties in learning (46.7%).

Conclusions: Children under five years of age who were consulted at HC-UFG showed excessive use of screens, even if their guardians were aware of the harm of this practice, which was mainly justified by the need to be absent from parental duties to carry out activities at home or work. The impacts on child development are considerable and reinforce the importance of more comprehensive studies and improvement of preventive measures for this excessive use, especially in media literacy and parental mediation.