Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

My 2 yr old son has been using mobile since almost a year.

78 replies

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 16:50

My concern is how much is his eyesight affected due to this.
My husband has strongly suggested and I too feel we stop him access to Mobile phone and TV. Even when watching tv he goes very close to it . We had to use mobile phones to get him to it 😢 but now i wonder if we have already done harm to his eyesight. My son having glasses in his childhood is last thing I would want

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 16:51

*to get him to eat

OP posts:

girlmom21 · 02/02/2022 16:52

Are his eyes already impacted? Does he do the same with books or small images?

Lots of screen time isn't great.
You don't need to get a 1 or 2 year old used to a mobile phone.

girlmom21 · 02/02/2022 16:53

Oh sorry I misread.
I don't understand how a mobile encourages him to eat.

Try meals as a family with no tv on or anything else.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

2 year olds Families General parenting

SomeOwlsCoo · 02/02/2022 16:55

Lots of screen time could damage his eye sight yes.
But there are also far worse things than needing glasses so I find it quite sad that you say that's the last thing you would want.

MondayYogurt · 02/02/2022 16:55

Take him to an opticians test, it's free.

Toddlers don't need personal screen devices.

Original poster

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 16:56

@girlmom21

"Are his eyes already impacted? "
How would I know.

"Does he do the same with books or small images?"
Does what ? Sorry

OP posts:

Lampshading · 02/02/2022 16:58

If you're concerned then find other ways to get your child to eat beyond shoving a phone in his face

BHX3000 · 02/02/2022 16:58

I wore glasses from age 5 and mobile phones didn’t exist back then. We also had no TV. Sometimes these things can’t be helped, and my childhood was just fine, even with glasses.

BUT. No 2 year old needs to have constant access to phone screens or TVs. It’s not only damaging to their eyes, it’s damaging to their brains if they watch so much of it, all the time. Using phones and TV to get them to eat isn’t healthy. I suggest you stop cold turkey and withdraw all devices because he needs to learn to go about his day without a screen in front of his eyes constantly.

MayThePawsBeWithYou · 02/02/2022 17:00

How does a mobile phone encourage him to eat. Take him for an eye test and stop using the mobile phones and move him away from a close up TV even if you have to hang it on the wall.

girlmom21 · 02/02/2022 17:00

Well you'd know if he can't see things as well as he used to surely?

Does he get up close to books and images like he does to the tv?

Original poster

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 17:02

He mostly had to be given mobile phone to get him to damn eat ! (Sorry I m very frustrated 😔)
But he held it other times as well. Sometime very close to his face.
But he also does a lot of offline fun too .
He doesn't even speak yet. It would be horrible if he already messed up his eyesight. But how can I possibly know.
Blame is on me !!!!

OP posts:

daisiesonmydress · 02/02/2022 17:02

@girlmom21

Well you'd know if he can't see things as well as he used to surely?

Does he get up close to books and images like he does to the tv?

Well done replying to such a blunt response.

00100001 · 02/02/2022 17:02

[quote sarahhoping]@girlmom21

"Are his eyes already impacted? "
How would I know.

"Does he do the same with books or small images?"
Does what ? Sorry[/quote]
Dies he bring the book close to his eyes.

daisiesonmydress · 02/02/2022 17:04

@sarahhoping

He mostly had to be given mobile phone to get him to damn eat ! (Sorry I m very frustrated 😔) But he held it other times as well. Sometime very close to his face. But he also does a lot of offline fun too . He doesn't even speak yet. It would be horrible if he already messed up his eyesight. But how can I possibly know. Blame is on me !!!!

Ask your health visitor or doctor for advice and/or referral

Walk into an opticians and ask

ButFirstTea · 02/02/2022 17:04

Bit weird to say that him wearing glasses is 'the last thing you would want', there are thousands of worse things that could happen??

I've worn glasses since childhood and we didn't have any mobile phones or tablets in the early 90s so it wasn't connected. Poor eyesight can just be a genetic thing.

Original poster

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 17:05

@girlmom21 I wud chk that next time he looks into a book

OP posts:

grey12 · 02/02/2022 17:05

I don't think it affects their eyesight.... screens can tire the eyes because of lack of moisture but I don't know whether that applies to a baby

Screen time isn't good because of other issues with development but, for example, DD1 would scream horrors in the carseat!! Better the screentime then no carseat

MayThePawsBeWithYou · 02/02/2022 17:05

Swap it for a kids pretend mobile phone.

grey12 · 02/02/2022 17:07

Btw, that idea about seating close to the TV being bad for the eyes is not true 🤷🏻‍♀️ it used to be true back in the mid 20th when TV were apparently slightly radioactive.......

deeplyrooted · 02/02/2022 17:10

Bless you Op, it’s just hard being a parent. I know how awful these thoughts feel.

Try and step away from the guilt - you’re doing your best, it’s allowed to make mistakes. It’s clear you care.

Look at the situation logically. First make an apt to get his eyes tested. Knowing is better than worrying.

Second you need a plan for reducing screen time. That’s tough and it’s not just down to you. You need to think through how to just have it around less (for you as well), find other strategies for meal times (it will get worse before it gets better), and figure out other ways to get downtime for yourself.

What kind of support and help do you have? Do you know any older (pre screen) mums?

Growbean · 02/02/2022 17:11

Not on topic but her sitting close to the tv was how we realised DD had hearing loss.

Holothane · 02/02/2022 17:12

I put nose on everything but then I’ve had bad vision all my life. His eyes if a problem can be helped with or a proper diagnosis shorted sighted even registered blind or partially sighted. Get him used to less time on the screen though he’s a toddler not a teenager but hope you get help if needed. First optician to rule out any eye problems/. Hugs.

girlmom21 · 02/02/2022 17:13

[quote sarahhoping]@girlmom21 I wud chk that next time he looks into a book[/quote]
If you haven't already noticed when he's reading or playing it's probably not as bad as you think.

Reduce the screen time.

Does he go to any childcare? Have there been any interventions with regards to his speech? Have you spoken to the health visitor?

What does he do on the phone? Does he watch YouTube or something?

girlmom21 · 02/02/2022 17:16

@daisiesonmydress 🙏🏻

Original poster

sarahhoping · 02/02/2022 17:16

@deeplyrooted my MIL is pre screen times. Those old style nokia phones came when my husband was teenager lol

To all the mums here saying to take my 2 yr old to the doc , ok I wud . There's a child opthalmologist here.
But how can she tell if sons vision is fine if my son can't even speak

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4