Ipads hurt pen skills

THEY may be technology whiz kids – but children raised on iPads find it hard to hold a pencil, doctors have warned.

Excessive use of touchscreen phones and tablets is stifling the development of children’s finger muscles, making it hard to hold a pen or pencil correctly. Paediatricians said swapping traditional toys for tablets may hinder children during their early years.

“It’s easier to give a child an iPad than encouraging them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks,” said Sally Payne, of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.