Clinical trial NCT05869175: Health Problems Caused by Technology Addiction in Preschool Children
Official title: Evaluation of the Relationship Between Technology Addiction and Posture Disorder, Balance and Muscle Strength in Preschool Children
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Technology Addiction
Keywords: preschool, posture disorder, balance, muscle strength
Lead sponsor: Karabuk University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-05-22
Enrollment: 56
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 3
Maximum age (years): 6
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: The preschool period includes 60 children with technology addiction.

Brief summary: Technological products are tools that make human life easier. Among these tools that have become an indispensable part of human life, smart devices, namely smart phones, tablets and computers, have a special place. It is seen that the time spent by both parents and children in the family with smart devices has increased for various reasons. This situation creates effects on the developmental processes of children.

In the literature, it is seen that children and adolescents are more exposed to digital technology. Preschoolers, unlike other children, are in the process of forming healthy habits that will continue to reflect their future quality of life. Incorrect posture in preschool and school-aged children can cause extremely serious health problems in adulthood, if not detected and removed in time. Knowledge of postural control and muscle strength can be important both for identifying children at high risk of falls and injury and for developing fall and injury prevention intervention programs.

More specifically, knowledge of a potential relationship between postural control and muscle strength can assist in tailoring specially designed injury and fall prevention intervention programs.

As a result, with the changing world, the age at which children start using technological devices is gradually decreasing, and as age increases, the duration of device use also increases. Provider, children's exposure to technology will be much longer than adults. There are no studies evaluating the relationship between technology addiction, posture disorder, balance and muscle strength in the preschool period. Generally, research has been done on technology addiction and posture disorder.

The aim of our research is not only to investigate the technology addiction and posture disorder of preschool children, but also to evaluate the relationship between future muscle strength and balance of the posture disorder that may occur.

Detailed description: Technological products are tools that make human life easier. Among these tools that have become an indispensable part of human life, smart devices, namely smart phones, tablets and computers, have a special place. Considering the studies, the age at which children start using technological devices is gradually decreasing and their physical activity is decreasing more because they spend more time with technological devices and are more inactive due to the increase in technology addiction. This situation creates negative effects on the developmental processes of children. Some of these effects are postural disturbance, decreased muscle strength and balance. No study was found that evaluated the relationship between technology addiction, posture disorder, balance and muscle strength in the preschool period. Generally, research has been done on technology addiction and posture disorder.

The aim of this study is not only to investigate the technology addiction and posture disorder of preschool children, but also to evaluate the relationship between future muscle strength and balance of the posture disorder that may occur.

This study can increase the awareness of parents and teachers by detecting health problems such as posture disorder, decrease in muscle strength and balance that may occur due to technology addiction of preschool children, and it can benefit pre-school children to use technology in a beneficial way for their development, both mentally and physically.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Having consented to participate in the study by their parents
* Having normal development
* Absence of neurodevelopmental or neuromotor disability

Exclusion Criteria:

* Those who were not approved by their parents to participate in the study.
* Presence of neurodevelopmental or neuromotor disability
* Children with physical or mental disabilities
* Having an orthopedic or metabolic problem

Primary outcomes:
measure: Problematic Technology Use scale for Children
timeFrame: First Day
Secondary outcomes:
measure: New York Posture Analysis
timeFrame: First Day
measure: Pediatric Balance Scale
timeFrame: First Day
measure: Muscle Strength
timeFrame: First Day
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Karabük
country: Turkey
facility: Karabük University
Study officials:
affiliation: Karabuk University
name: Agabek Orunbayev Physiotherapist
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: Karabuk University
name: Musa Güneş Msc
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
affiliation: Karabuk University
name: Metehan Yana PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
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