by Chinwe Okafor

Handing an iPad to young children has become as much a part of parenting as sleepless nights and wet wipes – but it could be stunting their growth.

Leaving children under the age of three alone with gadgets could be harming their ability to learn key skills such as self-control.

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine say that using an iPad or smartphone to distract children – and get a moment’s peace – could stunt their ‘social-emotional development’.

‘If these devices become the predominant method to calm and distract young children, will they be able to develop their own internal mechanisms of self-regulation?’ the researchers ask.

‘These devices may replace the hands-on activities important for the development of sensorimotor and visual-motor skills, which are important for the learning and application of maths and science,’ the team wrote.

Ada Igboanugo