Which cell phone should a toddler use?
The kids are the most likely to use their cell phones at home, according to a new study.
The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, examined data from 2,200 toddlers ages 4 to 17.
Researchers found that about 6 percent of toddlers reported using their cell phone at least once a day.
The remaining 1 percent said they used it less than once a month.
Overall, parents reported they would use their phones to call, text, or send emails at least twice a day, and they were more likely to send and receive text messages.
“These are not typical use patterns for kids,” said study author Michael Wessel, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Parents do not want their kids to have an endless supply of texts, photos, and emails,” Wessel said.
“They want their children to have time for reading and social interaction.”
The study found that the average age of cell phone use among toddlers is 3 years old.
But there are more than two dozen reasons for this difference.
First, children are more likely than adults to use cell phones when they are hungry or thirsty.
The children of those who use cell phone for eating and drinking tend to be more attentive and less distracted, Wessel told ABC News.
Also, cell phone usage is lower among children with a high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to Wessel.
As a result, these children may be more likely for cell phones to help them focus and learn quickly, Wsel said.
But for all the benefits cell phones have, Wethers said parents should be mindful of their kids’ habits and avoid using them too often.
“I think parents are the ones that are going to have to be able to be patient with the use of cell phones,” he said.
He recommended parents use the time they spend with their children “to do something that helps the child, like be a good listener and be a critical thinker.”