This article is featured in The Courier Mail and is republished with permission.
The longer kids look at screens, the less time they spend talking, developing their brains, sleeping and moving, a new international study has found.
The most profound impacts are on toddlers, with three-quarters of children aged under two on screens against expert recommendations
It comes as Australian researchers have found babies as young as six months are spending an hour on screens a day, with some exposed to up to six hours of screens a day by the time they are two.
By the age of four, three-quarters of children have their own device and will spend around 80 minutes onscreen by themselves. By primary school, they will spend up to six hours a day, with one in 10 exhibiting problematic behaviour.
An overview of 40 international studies by researchers from the Central Michigan University College of Medicine found the impact of screen time differs according to the screen type and the age of the child.
The risk of cognitive impairment from screens was found to be greatest in three to seven year-olds, with one US study finding total screen times led to children having a decreased IQ.
Social development is also impacted, with global delay in the form of decreased social skills, more behavioural problems, lower attention spans and poor impulse control in both young and older children.
The researchers also found screens impacted both motor and language development, with toddlers often on screens in particular showing difficulty with language comprehension and expression.
Lead author Devin Naumann said excessive screen exposure in children “has been associated with various adverse health outcomes, including obesity, sleep disturbance, and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression”.
“Because of the growing number of infants and toddlers using digital devices, there are growing concerns about the developmental effects of screen exposure in childhood,” he said.
Only one of the studies assessed by the Michigan researchers showed screen time, especially video games, had a positive effect on visual development, but this was balanced by concerns about greater aggression in older children.
According to federal Australian guidelines, no screen time is recommended for children under the age of two, and no more than one hour per day for those aged two to five.
The study’s findings included a recommendation that more needs to be done to educate parents on the dangers of excessive screen use.
Dr Mary Brushe, a senior research officer from The Kids Research Institute Australia, led the Australian study that looked at exposure to screen time in young children. She found the average three-year-old who is exposed to three hours of screen time a day could be missing out on more than 1100 adult words, more than 840 vocalisations and 194 conversational turns per day.
However, she said the idea that a child in 2023 would have zero screen time before the age of two was unrealistic and would likely add unnecessary guilt and pressure to families.
“What we really want families to focus on is the question of whether their child is having quality screen time, and to keep interacting with their child while they’re watching,” Dr Brushe said.
“Instead of not talking while a screen is on, parents could ask their child questions or narrate what they are seeing together, even if the child is too young to respond.”
Michelle Mitchell, author, parenting expert and speaker said it was appropriate for parents to take control of screens. “Parents always ask me if there is ever a time to take technology away from a child. Based on my 25 years working with young people, my strong but unpopular response is, ‘Damn straight, Yes!’
“Many cyber safety and parenting experts will disagree with me, insisting that taking technology away drives poor behaviour underground. If this strategy is overused, unfairly used or used as a veiled threat, I agree,” she said.
“But most kids and teens I have worked with who are in over their heads have been relieved when their parents stepped in, took the reins.
“Technology is a privilege that comes with responsibility; it’s not a right.”
CEO of the Australian Psychological Society, Dr Zena Burgess, said parents “should set clear and consistent rules surrounding screen time”.
“You could implement a daily schedule that includes designated times for screens, balanced with physical activity, homework, family time, and sleep,” she said.
“It may be helpful to have a conversation about why screen time needs to be managed and the importance of nurturing offline activities. Even young children can engage in a discussion about how staring at a screen can affect your body and mind.”