Abstract:

Digital literacy encompasses the skills of finding, evaluating, and using information in our digital environment. Children today are born as “digital natives,” making basic digital literacy skills essential for their adaptation to the 21st century. Concurrently, health literacy -the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and use health information- is vital for protecting children’s well-being and preventing adverse outcomes. Recently, digital health literacy has emerged as a crucial bridge between these two domains, encompassing the skills to manage health-related information through digital technologies. Despite its necessity as an indispensable life skill, awareness and development of digital health literacy in early childhood remain critically inadequate. Methodologically, this article is designed as a narrative review in line with the interpretive paradigm. This study, which reviews the existing literature at the intersection of early childhood, health sciences, and digital competencies, aims to establish a theoretical foundation for digital health competencies in early childhood and to discuss relevant definitions. In this context, the core competencies of digital health literacy are discussed in a manner specific to early childhood, and the need for an inclusive definition of digital health literacy is emphasized. Additionally, the study highlights the proactive roles of parents, teachers, and caregivers. In conclusion, digital health literacy begins to take shape from birth and must be supported during the critical period of early childhood. Developing digital health literacy is essential for equipping children with the fundamental life skills necessary to ensure a healthy technological future.

Keywords:

Digital literacy, digital health literacy, health literacy, early childhood, narrative review, preschool.