Early-Life Screen Time Tied to Atypical Sensory Processing Outcomes in Toddlers

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Early-life digital media exposure is associated with atypical sensory processing outcomes in toddlers, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Karen Frankel Heffler, M.D., from Drexel University in Philadelphia, and colleagues examined the association between early-life digital media exposure (12, 18, and 24 months of age) and sensory processing outcomes among toddlers. The analysis included data from 1,471 participants in the National Children's Study.

The researchers found that screen exposure at 12 months of age was associated with doubled odds of being in the high category of low registration (odds ratio [OR], 2.05), while the odds of being in the low category instead of the typical category decreased for sensation seeking (OR, 0.55), sensation avoiding (OR, 0.69), and low registration (OR, 0.64). Greater screen exposure at 18 months of age was associated with an increased risk for high sensation avoiding (OR, 1.23) and low registration (OR, 1.23), while greater screen exposure at 24 months was associated with an increased risk for high sensation seeking (OR, 1.20), sensory sensitivity (OR, 1.25), and sensation avoiding (OR, 1.21).

"Further research is needed to understand why early media exposure is associated with specific sensory-related behaviors, including those seen in autism spectrum disorder, and if minimizing screen media at a young age can improve subsequent sensory-related outcomes," the authors write.

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