Inside a Lab Studying Toddlers and Touchscreens – Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician and director of the Center for Child Health Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, has been conducting the Daisy Study during the early days of the pandemic. The goal of the study is to determine how children interact with screens, such as iPads or tablets, and compare that to traditional children’s toys. The research aims to identify subsets of children who are predisposed to finding apps more difficult to put away and, by doing that, to help identify risk factors and alert parents to the fact that their child is at higher risk for finding these kinds of toys so alluring.

The study has found that children in the 18-to-24 month age group find it very difficult to take their attention away from an app, more difficult than they do with other traditional toys, even electronic toys. Children at this age can even start to prefer screens over real life and tangible things. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, wants to know what makes screens so irresistible, even to young children. Gupta spoke to Dr. Christakis and his assistant, Shaye, and observed a demonstration of the Daisy Study in his Seattle lab.

The demonstration involved three-year-old Malik playing with a plastic toy that’s covered in bright blue, green and yellow buttons followed by playing on an iPad. Dr. Christakis and his team observed Malik and noted that Malik’s eyes were glued to the screen on the iPad. Dr. Christakis believes that the roots of compulsive or digital addiction begins in early childhood.

The findings of the Daisy Study are significant. As hard as it is to admit, children, even very young children, are going to prefer digital objects over tangible real-life objects. This may begin the process of addiction to screens for many of these children. However, research such as the Daisy Study can help to identify risks and alert parents to these risks. Parents can then make more informed decisions about their children’s screen time and limit their use of screens where necessary to prevent addiction.



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