CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Texting While Parenting — the New Safety Hazard?

save article
profile picture of Leah Rocketto
Updated March 2, 2017
Hero Image

You won’t LOL when you hear this news. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal suggests that “texting while parenting” has led to an increase in children’s injuries over the past few years.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that nonfatal injuries to children under age five rose 12 percent between 2007 and 2010, despite a decline in the years before 2007. At the same time, the number of Americans who own a smartphone has grown from 9 million to 63 million at the end of 2010, according to research firm comScore. Emergency room doctors don’t see this as a coincidence.

“It’s very well understood within the emergency-medicine community that utilizing devices — hand-held devices — while you are assigned to watch your kids — that resulting injuries could very well be because you are utilizing those tools,” says Dr. Wally Ghurabi, medical director of the emergency center at the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital, to the Wall Street Journal.

While the connection makes complete sense, doctors and researchers face some struggles in proving there’s a direct link. For starters, children — especially babies and toddlers — are naturally prone to accidents. Learning to walk and handle the world around you is bound to cause some falls, even if the parent is watching closely.

Also, people tend to pick and chose when it comes to self-evaluation. According to the Wall Street Journal, parents don’t report distraction as a cause for accidents, for fear of being judged. In addition, they tend to under-report how much time they spend on their mobiles, whether it’s because they’re unsure or because they don’t want to face criticism.

But other data supports the idea that parents’ attention is key in protecting kids from injury. Barbara Morrongiello, a psychology professor at the University of Guelph in Canada, conducted a survey of over 60 families. She found that 67 percent of the kids’ injuries occurred when a parent wasn’t supervising or was only listening intermittently, while 10 percent occurred when a parent was watching.

Related Video

Despite this very close connection, more research must be done to prove that texting is a cause rather than a coincidence.

“What you have is an association,” says Dr. Gary Smith, founder and director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Being able to prove causality is the issue.”

Do you text while watching your child? How do you make sure you’re not distracted by your smartphone?

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

Meredith Gaudreau and John Gaudreau posing with their children on the ice hockey rink
Teammates of Late Johnny Gaudreau Celebrate His Daughter's 2nd Birthday
By Wyndi Kappes
Michael Strahan is seen in studio at ABC's "Good Morning America" in Times Square on August 15, 2024 in New York City.
NFL Host and GMA Anchor Michael Strahan Is Officially a Grandpa
By Wyndi Kappes
mom and toddler reading a book together
Mom’s TikTok Shares the 9 Magic Minutes That Make a Big Impact on Kids
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
New Sibling Gift Ideas-hero
30 Sweet Gifts for Siblings From Baby, According to Parents
By Emma O'Regan-Reidy
gifts-for-pregnant-friend-HERO
42 Gifts for Pregnant Women That Are Cute and Congratulatory
By Martina Garvey
isaac rochell and his baby daughter
NFL Star Isaac Rochell’s Take on Being a Black Dad Goes Viral
By Wyndi Kappes
sofia richie grainge and newborn baby
Sofia Richie Grainge on Savoring That 90-Minute Newborn Nap Break
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
baby baptism shoes and gold cross necklace
17 Baby Baptism Gifts That Bring the Blessings
By Martina Garvey
Eva mendes smiling
Eva Mendes Always Has This in Her Bag as a Mom of Two
By Wyndi Kappes
dad kissing baby at home
The Best Gifts for New Dads, According to Parents
By Martina Garvey
ADVERTISEMENT
mom and grandma sitting with baby in kitchen
Viral Video: Grandma’s Take on Disagreeing With Your Child’s Parenting
By Wyndi Kappes
mom looking at social media on smartphone while breastfeeding baby at home
Viral Video Shows How Overwhelming Social Media Can Be for New Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
Ayo Edebiri attends the red carpet for FX's Premiere of "The Bear" Season 3 at El Capitan Theatre on June 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California
The Bear Star Ayo Edebiri Says Kids Should Be Welcomed in Restaurants
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
concerned mom comforting child on the couch at home
How to Deal With Mom Guilt
Fact Checked by G. O’Hara
mom sitting with baby outside of home on summer day
Summer Babies Can Come With Some Serious FOMO, Mom Explains
By Wyndi Kappes
hilary duff struggles with balancing time with newborn and other kids
Hilary Duff on Balancing Time With a Newborn and Older Kids
By Wyndi Kappes
gerber baby 2024 sonny mcleod
Meet 2024 Gerber Baby and Chief Growing Officer Akil "Sonny" McLeod
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mother and father cuddling newborn baby in hospital bed after labor and delivery
40 Amazing Push Present Ideas to Make a New Mom Feel Loved
By Martina Garvey
chrissy teigen speaking at the aura digital parenthood summit event
Why Chrissy Teigen Believes in Sharing Messy Parenting Moments Online
By Wyndi Kappes
nate burleson and family
Nate Burleson on His Ideal Father’s Day and Parenting Philosophy
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List