Relationship Between Early Childhood Development and Digital Media Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

This chapter explores digital media use in families with infants and children up to 42 months old and its relationship with infant development during the COVID-19 pandemic in a small town in Brazil’s countryside. We investigated different aspects of digital media use, including the type of screen media used, its relation to children’s development, associations between parental and children’s use, and mothers’ perceptions about these issues. A mixed methodology, including both qualitative and quantitative stages, was employed. The quantitative study aimed to establish associations between variables, while the qualitative design sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of families regarding technology use. One focus group was conducted with two mothers as part of the qualitative design. The objective was to shed light on the impact of digital media use on child development and understand the dynamics and experiences within these families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both studies contribute to the knowledge in this field and provide additional insights for appropriate interventions and guidelines on digital media use for this age group.