Featured: Nursery World “One in 10 babies now ‘regularly’ fall asleep with a screen, finds research”

Despite recent Government guidance that parents should avoid screen time for babies under the age of two, a new study finds that digital devices are being used to comfort babies.

Commissioned by the 1001 Critical Days Foundation and carried out by the iADDICT research group from four UK Universities, researchers carried out a literature review of thousands of studies into the impact of screen use with young children, and surveyed parents and carers with babies under the age of two.

A total of 174 parents from across the UK were surveyed for their views on young children’s screen time, and 156 parents took part in an online survey and a further 18 participated in focus group interviews.

Among parents, screen use was reported in over 70 per cent of babies and under-twos, with some saying their children use screens for several hours a day. A ‘meaningful minority’ of babies were exposed up to eight hours of screen time per day – far exceeding current health guidance.

One in 10 said their babies ‘regularly’ fall asleep with a screen.