United Kingdom, Aug. 18 -- Parents who spend hours scrolling on their phones around young children could be affecting their language development, a study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Oslo followed 747 Norwegian children for three years, from age five to eight, assessing their vocabulary and understanding of grammar alongside their use of digital devices.

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that children whose parents spent more time on their phones showed slower vocabulary development.

The association increased with every additional hour a parent spent using their phone each day.

Children whose parents spent around four hours a day on their phones scored about 2.5 points lower on language tests than those whos...