None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Mobile technology, especially tablet computer use, is increasingly common among children. With displacement of other activities and prolonged extreme postures, this use may have harmful effects on physical health including decreased physical activity, increased sedentary time, and increased risk of musculoskeletal discomfort. Yet despite a call from parents and media for best practice guidelines on tablet computer use, there has been no research to date on the physical effects of current tablet computer use on children. This experimental, laboratory study will examine the activity and postures while children use tablet computers, and compare this to two typical sedentary play conditions: watching television (screentime) and “free-play” (non-screen). In a randomized, balanced, within subject design, 24 children (ages 3-5, 12 male and 12 female) will participate in three 15 minute play conditions: tablet computer, television watching, “free play”. The physical environment will be kept constant and only the activity (TV, iPad or freeplay with toys) will vary. Physical activity (using hip and wrist accelerometry), gross postures (systematic video coding), head and trunk angle position and variation (Vicon three-dimensional motion analysis) and upper trapezius and cervical erector spinae muscle activity (surface myoelectric activity), will be measured during each of the three conditions and compared using linear mixed models.
Interventions
iPad2 (Apple, Cupertino, USA) with a range of age appropriate apps (including Peppa's Paintbox, and Playschool Playtime) and the apps will be selected based on a review and recommendation by the Australian Council on Children and the Media, will not include violence or gambling, and the name and description of the program and app will be given to parents for approval upon consent. The apps will be games designed for young children will include a pre-academic, or learning component. Children will
iPad2 (Apple, Cupertino, USA) with a range of age appropriate apps (including Peppa's Paintbox, and Playschool Playtime) and the apps will be selected based on a review and recommendation by the Australian Council on Children and the Media, will not include violence or gambling, and the name and description of the program and app will be given to parents for approval upon consent. The apps will be games designed for young children will include a pre-academic, or learning component. Children will complete the intervention individually (a single participant at a time). The iPad will be placed in the middle of the mat. Children will be instructed that they may move about the mat freely, but must stay on the mat. The research staff will supervise play for safety, but will not engage the child during play, with the exception of assistance being requested. The intervention condition will be a single 15 minute session. Between each condition, research staff with previous experience leading age-appropriate physical activities will lead an active dance break lasting for approximately 5 minutes.
Sponsors
Curtin University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
3 Years to 5 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Participants will be included in the study if they are aged between 3 and 5 years and are able to complete the study protocol as outlined in the parent information sheet (including previous use of tablet computer as reported by parent).
Exclusion criteria
Participants will be excluded if they have a diagnosed disorder likely to impact their study participation, or illness around the time of data collection.
Outcome results
None listed