The Effects of “Screen Time” in Children and the Importance of Parent Monitoring
What is “screen time”?
"Screen time" refers to the amount of time a person spends staring at the digital displays of computers, tablets (iPads, for example) and smartphones (Herman, 2021).
How much screen time is “too much”?
Screens are all around us! As technology continues to advance, children are gaining more access to portable devices with screens. Children are often happy and quiet with a device in their hands, but we know, children do not learn best from screens (Da Silva, 2016). To guide parents in determining how much screen time is “too much”, professional organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have stepped in with recommendations.
The AAP recommends avoiding screens for children younger than 18 to 24 months, except when video chatting with family. The AAP also recommends limiting screen use for preschool children, ages 2 to 5, to just one hour a day of high-quality programming. It has also developed the Family Media Use Plan for older kids, in which parents and children negotiate limits and boundaries around screen usage. Similarly, the WHO recommends no screens for kids under 2, and less than an hour a day for children ages 2 to 5. Refer to the suggested screen time chart to see what is recommended for the age group of your child.
How does Screen Time impact Language Development?
A study from the Hospital for Sick Children in Canada followed almost 900 young children between six months and two years old. This study found that toddlers who were exposed to more handheld screen time were more likely to have delayed expressive language skills (i.e., the child’s ability to say words and sentences was delayed). This study also found that for every 30-minute increase in daily handheld screen time, there was a 49% increased risk of expressive language delay (Da Silva, 2016).
Another study surveyed over 1,000 parents of children under the age of two. They found that toddlers who watched more videos said fewer words. For each additional hour of videos that eight- to 16-month-old infants watched in a day, they said an average of six to eight fewer words (Da Silva, 2016).
These studies indicate that increased screen time places infants at risk for expressive language delays and can result in young children saying fewer words (Da Silva, 2016).
Children best learn how to talk and communicate through interactions with other people. The first several years of life are crucial for your child’s language development. This is when their brain is the most receptive to learning new language and is building communication pathways that will be with them for the rest of their lives (Speech and Language Kids, 2019).
This graph shows the effects of screen time on language development. This graph indicates that as the number of screen time hours increase, there is an increase in likelihood of a speech delay.
Parent Monitoring & Supervision
Parent monitoring and supervision of a child’s screen time is crucial within all age groups. Parent monitoring and supervision allow parents to know what their child is viewing and how much time their child is spending with screens. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, without parent monitoring and supervision, your child will have a greater risk at being exposed to violence and risk-taking behaviors, videos of stunts or challenges that may inspire unsafe behavior, sexual content, negative stereotypes, substance use, cyberbullies and predators, advertising aimed at your child and misleading or inaccurate information. Parents must monitor and supervise the amount of time their child spends on devices in order to ensure quality screen time!
Tips and recommendations to ensure quality screen time
Co-watch when possible: Watch with your children during their screen time! Talk to your child about what they are seeing. Point out good behavior, such as cooperation, friendship, and concern for others. Make connections to meaningful events or places of interest. When watching programming with your child, discuss what you're watching and educate him or her about advertising and commercials.
Supervise and Monitor: Use parental controls to block or filter internet content. Make sure your child is close by during screen time so that you can supervise his or her activities. Ask your child regularly what programs, games and apps he or she has played with during the day.
Choose Media Wisely: Seek out interactive options that engage your child, rather than those that just require pushing and swiping or staring at the screen! Preview programs, games and apps before allowing your child to view or play with them. Organizations such as Common Sense Media can help you determine what's appropriate. Better yet, watch, play or use them with your child.
Keep bedtime, mealtime and family time screen free: Set a good example by demonstrating your own healthy screen habits. Set rules such as no screens in the car and consider a family curfew, where all devices are put away for the night. Encourage your child to learn other activities such as sports, music, art, and hobbies that do not involve screens.
Educate your child: Teach children about online privacy and safety!
Do what makes you comfortable: Actively decide when your child is ready for a personal device. Consider your child or teen’s maturity and habits. The right plan for one family may not be a good fit for another.
