Is an Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPad Dangerous to Your Child’s Brain?

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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) dominates the tablet market with its various iPad iterations since its launch in 2007. While there has been a lot of discussions about the dangers of cell phones  possibly causing cancer in adults, and there has been a lot of discussion about how much television children watch. However, with tablet computers in general – and Apple’s in particular as the market leader – becoming so pervasive in our society nowadays, could it be time to have some discussion about our children using tablet computers?

Not that long ago, when video and computing was less mobile – before Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) launched the iPad – there was much discussion about televisions serving as babysitters – where kids would watch TV instead of interacting with each other or other family members, and other family members not interacting with the children. Could the same phenomenon apply to tablets like Apple’s iPad? And could this be damaging to kids and their social and mental development? Some researchers are considering the impact.

Jony Ive, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)

“We really don’t know the full neurological effects of these technologies yet,” said Dr. Gary Small at UCLA. “Children, like adults, vary quite a lot, and some are more sensitive than others that to an abundance of screen time.” He added that children were especially susceptible to stimuli, and there seems to be at least some connection that when children spend  too much time interacting with technology (TV or an Apple iDevice) instead of interacting with siblings or family like at the dinner table, certain social and communication skills seem to be affected.

But does interacting with an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad instead of parents – or even themselves – really affect children as a whole?

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