Using devices to soothe toddler tantrums can backfire, lead to long-term effects, study finds

‘Devices may displace opportunities for development of independent methods to self-regulate’

Frequent use of smartphones and tablets to calm upset toddlers is linked to increased emotional dysregulation in the long term, particularly in boys, a new study warns.

Parents across the globe give young children digital devices to soothe them when the kids have a meltdown.

While the preschool-to-kindergarten period is a developmental stage in children when they may be more likely to exhibit difficult behaviors, throwing tantrums, acting defiant, and making it even more tempting to use devices, researchers, including those from the University of Michigan in the US, caution that this strategy may backfire in the long-run.