Kids using tablets before bed instead of being read books - research

Research shows a high number of children are being allowed to use tablets or watch TV before bed despite warnings from experts. Photo / iStock

Rising numbers of pre-school children are being allowed to play with tablet computers and watch TV in bed, research shows.

Almost one in ten youngsters aged up to four are glued to programmes under the duvet, despite parents being warned of the health hazards of night-time viewing.

Rising numbers of toddlers are also using their parents' smartphones to access apps, while many already have their own tablet.

Experts claim these so-called 'iTods' and their parents increasingly see constant access to screens as a normal part of life.

Research body Childwise surveyed 1,034 parents of pre-schoolers aged between six months and four years for the study.

Seven per cent of this age group now watch TV in bed at night, up from 3 per cent when the study was conducted last year.

Overall, pre-schoolers watch an average of 2.6 hours of TV a day, up from 2.4 hours last year. Meanwhile 73 per cent of the age group use tablet computers and mobile phones - up from 27 per cent in 2012. Almost a third - 29 per cent - have their own tablet.

Dr Aric Sigman, a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, warned that screens in the bedroom can stop children sleeping properly, harming their health. Earlier this week, he urged parents not to constantly check their mobile phones in front of children to help tackle technology obsession.

- Daily Mail