The effect of digital media on children in their formative years

Over the past 2 decades, personal digital devices have evolved to become portable, attractive, readily accessible, interactive, and ubiquitous. Although digital and social media have evidence-based benefits, including early learning, exposure to new ideas and knowledge, and increased opportunities for social contact and support, unsupervised and unchecked use of personal digital devices can have negative consequences for the physical and mental health of children in their formative years.The widespread use of portable digital devices has been accompanied by a concomitant rise in the prevalence of physical and mental health issues in children. Research suggests an association between these trends, which also may be considered from a public health perspective. Proposed interventions include the development and implementation of individual family media use plans for children of all ages.