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Jun 5, 2024 · The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents limit screen time to no more than one hour a day for kids ages 2 to 5 and avoid screen time altogether for babies...
A Children's Health expert explains the effect of too much screen time, recommended screen time limits by age and tips for parents to reduce screen time.
- Overview
- Early screen time could harm development
- TVs and computers may be safer
- What should parents do with this information?
Researchers from the University of California, Davis, recommend that parents delay introducing their preschool children to mobile screens, such as smartphones and tablets.
Screens are everywhere in our daily lives. As adults, we are constantly switching between working on a computer, checking our phones, watching TV in the evening — sometimes even playing on a tablet at the same time.
Children are picking up on this behavior, with screen time among children increasing. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that children aged 8–10 spend, on average, 6 hours per day in front of a screen. At ages 11–14, this increases to nearly 9 hours a day.
A new study from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) suggests that screens may have critical effects on a child’s development when they begin using them at an early age.
The researchers have published their findings in JAMA Pediatrics.
Self-regulation is key
The researchers compared the results from these tasks with information from the parents about screen time. The information included the age at which the children first saw a screen and how long they spent per week on a device.
The results showed that children who began using any screen media (including television, computers, smartphones, and tablets) earlier in life had lower self-regulation abilities.
The results showed that this was also true of those who currently used mobile devices (smartphones or tablets or both) more than others in the cohort.
Screen time measures, however, did not predict the parents’ perceptions of their child’s self-regulation.
As a result of their findings and as a precautionary measure, the researchers recommend that parents limit the amount of time preschool children use mobile devices.
“Young children are often exposed to substantial amounts of screen media. Even though [the] consumption of moderate amounts of high-quality children’s media has been established to have a positive influence on development, the current findings support limiting children’s use of mobile devices.”
Surprisingly, the researchers found exposure to traditional devices, such as television and computers, was not related to self-regulation.
They say this may be because messages to provide more child-friendly educational content on TV and warning parents to monitor what their children watch have been effective.
It is also likely that the fixed nature of a television and a desktop computer causes less harm than a mobile device, which a person can take anywhere.
“The portable nature of mobile devices allows them to be used in any location, such as while waiting for appointments, or in line at a grocery store. The screen use, then, could interfere with sensitive and responsive interactions with parents or practicing self-soothing behaviors that support optimal development,” explains Lawrence.
One of the key take-home messages of this study is for parents to consider delaying introducing any screen media to very young children.
Another consideration includes limiting the excessive use of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, among preschool children, while ensuring that any screen time provides positive educational and developmental material.
It is important to note, however, that the researcher based this study on a small sample of just over 50 children and was biased towards middle-class groups.
Furthermore, the study is cross-sectional and not randomized, so it can only ever show correlation, which may be due to biases. The observed change in the self-regulation summary test score may not be meaningful, particularly since the tests do not predict the parents’ assessments of their child’s self-regulation.
1 day ago · Children often mimic their parents’ behaviour. By limiting your own screen time and engaging in other activities, you can set a positive example. Use parental controls. Many devices have built-in parental controls that allow you to monitor and limit your child’s screen time. These can be useful tools in managing their usage.
May 24, 2023 · There are many tools that allow parents to monitor and set limits on their children’s screen time. Here’s what to know about them. A new book argues that banning social media isn’t the ...
May 25, 2024 · Parents need clear guidance from Government on managing children’s screen time, and in particular advice to parents of babies and young children should be revised to ensure it gives sufficient attention to face-to-face interaction and warns of the risks of screen time in reducing opportunities for this.
Apr 1, 2020 · AAP calls for no screen time at all for children until 18 to 24 months, except for video chatting, and says kids ages 2 to 5 should get an hour or less of screen time per day. It has also developed the Family Media Use Plan for older kids, in which parents and children negotiate limits and boundaries around screen usage.
