DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2020.v08i02.001

Pages: 102-105

Background: Children tend to be active consumers of electronics and many electronic products are targeted to the youth market. Excessive use of such electronics prone children to aggressive behaviors, sleep disorders, impaired socialization, as well as decrease in academic skills. Objectives: The aim of this study was determine the negative impact of electronics use on Lebanese pediatric population aged between 2 and 6 years mainly involving sleep disturbances, change in general health status, increase aggressiveness and worsening of general manners. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional questionnaire was distributed over 966 families of Lebanese children aged between 2 and 6 years, in different Lebanese countries including some Lebanese schools, and collected. Demographic data included: age of child, type of electronic device used, whether parents depend on electronics to distract their children and calm them down, and to assess if parents know the amount of hours allowed for the child to spend on electronics. Data collected for the outcome included: number of hours spent on electronics, electronic use causing sleep disturbances in children, change in general health status, and increase aggressiveness and worsening in general manners. Results: During the study period, questionnaires were distributed over 966 families of Lebanese children aged between 2 and 6 years and collected. The mostly used electronic device in children was the IPAD (56.7%) followed by smart phone (50.1%). Our study showed that the more number of hours spent on electronics (> 4hrs) was associated with sleep disturbances (mean score of 54.6) (p value < 0.05). The more the number of hours spent on electronics by the child, the decline in the general health status was noticed with a mean score of 41.5 when child used 4 hours or more and was statistically significant (p value < 0.05). The more the number of hours spent on electronics, the more the child’s manners worsens and decline ..............