Learn about the impact of excessive screen time on a child's development and find out how much is okay. Meri Sehat provides insights for balanced screen use

What Excessive Screen Time Does To A Child's Development & How Much Is Okay?

Does your kid have a life outside of their iPad?

Overview

Since the pandemic started and we had to grapple with the idea of being isolated from our fellow humans, everyone&rsquo;s screen time went up. Not that it wasn&rsquo;t as bad before but now this little thing in your hand is all that connected you to the outside world. The children felt the weight of this as well given how they crave community and play more than the adults in their lives. Then came the online classes and exams. This is why the cumulative screen time that a modern day child is exposed to is nowhere near normal. But is this even healthy?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Excessive Screen Time

Excessive screen time can have a negative impact a child&#39;s physical, emotional and cognitive development. It can contribute to<a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/obesity"> obesity</a>, as children are less likely to be physically active when they are spending a lot of time in front of screens. Additionally, it can lead to poor sleep quality, digital eye strain and behavioral issues.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Emotionally, it can lead to increased anxiety and depression and it can contribute to a lack of social skills and difficulty making friends. It also negatively impacts a child&#39;s brain development as research has shown that children who spend more time on screens have lower levels of white matter in their brains, which is responsible for cognitive processing and development. It can also negatively impact a child&#39;s ability to concentrate and can contribute to lower academic performance.

As a parent, it&#39;s important to be mindful of your child&#39;s screen time usage and set reasonable limits. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under 18 months old should not have any screen time, except for video chatting with family and friends. For children 18 months to 2 years old, limited screen time can be introduced, but it should be high-quality programming and the child should be watching under adult supervision. For children ages 2 to 5, the recommended screen time limit is one hour per day of high-quality programming, while children ages 6 and up should have consistent limits on the amount of screen time they have each day.

&nbsp;

Conclusion

To reduce the negative impact of excessive screen time, parents can take several steps. One is to set clear limits on screen time usage and ensure that children are engaged in other activities, such as playing outside or spending time with friends. Parents can also make sure that their children are engaging with high-quality programming that is age-appropriate and educational. It&#39;s important for parents to model healthy screen time habits as well. If children see their parents spending a lot of time on screens, they are more likely to develop similar habits. Instead, parents can prioritize spending quality time with their children, engaging in activities that promote their child&#39;s physical, emotional, and cognitive development. A study published in the journal BMC Public Health found that adults who limit their own screen time are more likely to be able to limit their children&rsquo;s screen time. The study says: &ldquo;It is not just the presence of screen time rules and restrictions that is important, but also the support through adult modeling of low screen use. Parents who model low screen time are more likely to impose stricter screen time rules on their children. In contrast, if parents are high screen users themselves, their efforts to impose screen time restrictions for children are more likely to fail.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Trusted By