The effect of screen time on hearing and balance in 6–16 aged children

Abstract

Background

The increase in screen time and the decrease in physical- activity cause balance problems as well as many systemic handicaps.

Aims/Objectives

This study aimed to determine the effect of screen time on balance and the effect of headphone usage time on hearing.

Method

Thirty-four individuals aged 6–16 years who applied to our clinic with complaints of dizziness and/or balance disorder were included in the study. Participants were divided into 2 groups according to their screen time: Group 1 (4–8 h/day) and Group2(>8 h/day). The other two groups are grouped according to headphone usage time as Group A (2–4 h/day) and Group B (>4hours/day). Pure-tone audiometry, extended high frequency-audiometry, Videonystagmography (VNG) and Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) tests and Pediatric Berg Balance Scale and Visual Analogue Scale were applied to all individuals. CDP scores and pure tone hearing thresholds between groups were compared.

Results

A significant difference was observed between Group 1 and Group 2 according to the CDP test (visual, vestibular and composite scores), and according to the VAS-dizziness and PBS (p ≤ .05). Pure tone average and pure tone thresholds at high frequencies were compared between Group A and Group B according to headphone usage time. Pure tone thresholds of Group B were worse at high frequencies than Group A (p ≤ .05).

Conclusions

It has been observed that prolonged screen time may cause balance impairment in children and prolonged use of headphones may affect high-frequency hearing thresholds.

Chinese Abstract

背景：屏幕时间的增加和身体活动的减少导致平衡问题以及许多系统性障碍。

目的：本研究旨在确定屏幕时间对平衡的影响以及耳机使用时间对听力的影响。

方法：34 名 6-16 岁的因头晕症状和/或平衡障碍到我们诊所就诊的患者被纳入研究中。 参与者根据他们的屏幕时间被分为两组：第 1 组（每天4-8 小时）和第 2 组（每天多于8 小时）。 另外, 根据耳机使用时间分为两组：A组（每天2-4小时）和B组（每天多于4小时）。 对所有成员进行了纯音听力测定、扩展高频听力测定、视频眼震图 (VNG) 和计算机化动态姿势描记法 (CDP) 测试以及儿科 Berg 平衡量表和视觉模拟量表测试。 比较各组之间的 CDP 评分和纯音听力阈值。

结果：根据 CDP 检验（视觉、前庭和综合评分）, 并根据 VAS 头晕和 PBS (p≤.05), 组 1 和组 2 之间观察到显著差异。 根据耳机使用时间, 比较了A组和B组的高频平均阈值和纯音阈值。 B组的纯音阈值在高频处比A 组差(p≤.05)。

结论：据观察, 长时间看屏幕可能会导致儿童平衡障碍, 长时间使用耳机可能会影响高频听力阈值。

Keywords:

• Balance
• computerized dynamic posturography
• headphone
• screen time

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding sources

There is no financial support or funding for this study.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.