A recent study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a leading US based welfare institute has suggested that kids and young teenagers aged 8-18 years are spending around seven and a half hours online, on average in a day.

Expressing her views on the subject Michele Elliott, a leading child psychologist mentioned "When children are using these devices they are not communicating or interacting with anyone else. They may be very good at texting but how do they do when they have to meet someone face to face?"

The dramatic rise in the duration during the past five years is attributed to portable devices which have revolutionised the way children access television programmes, films and music, reveals the study.

The findings of the study are expected to cause jitters among many parents who may find their wards increasingly remaining inwards. The excessive addiction to internet is revealed to adversely affect the development of social skills in children and can also hamper their health by keeping them from playing outdoors.

The researchers have discovered that youngsters devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using 'entertainment media' on a typical day, an increase of 1 hour 17 minutes since 2004.

Also, they have revealed that girls spent more time than boys using social networking sites such as Facebook.

Parents are urged to give away with the conventional stereotype of electronic devices to be a proxy, a virtual guardian that keeps their children occupied, for much cheaper than taking on a proper nanny.