Ebooks for children? Anybody actually read the research about memory?

[MellyMunster]

It's all well and good for Mumsnet to be pushing Ebooks by Pearson but has anybody actually seen the most recent research that says ebooks and reading online content stops the eyes from blinking as often as one would when reading physical books, and this ages the eyes. Also, the muscle memory is all about physically writing and the brain recalls the letters and shapes. I will NOT be buying my child Ebooks as I want her to spend as little time staring at a computer screen as I possibly can (there will be plenty of time for that later). Recycled existing, physical, books are by far the better option. I know Mumsnet makes a lot of money from marketing products but this is taking the peanut. Please, let children be children.

Link to the research please.

Mellymunster:

I'd also like to see the link to the research please.

Also - what age(s) do you mean? And presumably what type of computer screen do you mean? Would viewing an e-book on a tablet or iphone be an issue?

Does this also apply to educational APPS?

You may be raising an important point - but it is very difficult to gauge it's reliability without also seeing who the research is by and what precisely they were reviewing (CRT Monitor/ flat screen LED monitor/ tablet flat touchscreen monitor).

Melly I don't know about the specific research that you are referring to, but I agree with you about screen time for young children. I find it quite disturbing how many parents I know that are trying to find apps for their DC, even from as young as 1 years old! I think that there will be lots of time for children to desire gadgets, phones, computers etc, so encouraging their interest in these things by using them for child-related activities at such a young age is really sad to me. Toys, imagination, messy play and running about like erm, children is what children need, not playing with mummy's iPad.
(stepping down from soap box now...) ;)

Some of the recent research into computer vision syndrome.

1. Barar A, Apatachioaie ID, Apatachioaie C, Marceanu-Brasov L. Ophthalmologist and computer vision syndrome. Oftalmologia. 2007;51:104?109. [PubMed]
2. Bali J, Navίn N, Thakur BR. Computer vision syndrome: a study of the knowledge, attitudes and practices in Indian ophthalmologists. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2007;55:289?294. [PubMed]
3. Izquierdo JC, Garcνa M, Buxó C, Izquierdo NJ. Factors leading to the Computer Vision Syndrome: an issue at the contemporary workplace. Bol Asoc Med P R. 2004;96:103?110. [PubMed]
4. Blehm C, Vishnu S, Khattak A, Mitra S, Yee RW. Computer vision syndrome: a review. Surv Ophthalmol. 2005;50:253?262. [PubMed]
5. Akhmadeev RR, Aznabaev MT, Surkova VK, Sagadatova NM. Visual functions in personal computer users: ophthalmic-ergonomic aspects. Vestn Oftalmol. 2001;117:52?54. [PubMed]

Thanks for those, but I meant research into why the use of computers and/or ebooks is bad for childrens' eyes. All of those journal articles (not all research based) are about computer vision syndrome in adults who are working with computers all day. I'm not saying that computer vision syndrome isn't something we should all be aware of, but the webpage that you got those links from gives some very sensible ways of combating it.

ukpmc.ac.uk/articles/PMC2776336reload=0;jsessionid=GILi0m6rxPPIbQB7FW0u.6

www.livestrong.com/article/85306-negative-effects-computers-children/

@camdancer. - I will not be purchasing Ebooks for my child. She loves learning to write and reading books we get from our local library.

@revellish. - I cannot agree with you more. Children are what children need.

That livestrong link is also not research but just an opinion piece. I might buy ebooks as they are another tool in my very large range of things to help my children learn and develop. But I now have to get off my laptop as DS wants to play reading eggs.

I still fail to see how using ebooks or any other technology stops children being children.

I wouldn't let my DS (6) read books on the computer but he has a kindle which has no back light and is designed to avoid the problems you are talknig about. He loves his kindle and takes it everywhere, he has loads of kids books with pictures on it as well as some older ones such as The Narnia Chronicles and Harry Potter.

It is no different to reading a paperback book and has no relfection on his writing which is fanstastic for his age.

Fucking luddites.