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Technology can be part of a healthy childhood, but it can have its bad impact on several levels too.
A good role TV may play is to help develop vocabulary skills, develop cultural information from appropriate documentaries watched, learn the alphabet from TV programs, among others.
But too much screen time can have a bad impact as well
- Children who spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. 1
- Kids who view violent acts on TV are more likely to show aggressive behaviour, and to fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them. 1
- Characters on TV can depict risky behaviours, such as smoking and drinking, and can reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes. 1
- Spending time watching TV can replace many beneficial activities for your child (reading, playing with friends, doing some sports activities, spending quality time with family and siblings)
- Excessive TV viewing can lead to lower grades, sleep disorders and risky behavioural problems
- It is also important to mention that screen time’s effect on vision may include: eye fatigue, double vision, irritated eyes, near-sightedness, retinal damage 2
The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends 1 hour of screen time a day for pre-schoolers, which includes educational programming and sitting together with a parent or caregiver to help them understand what they're seeing.
‘Putting your toddler in front of TV to watch children shows is tempting
But the American Academy of Paediatrics says: Don't do it!
These targeted programs may always market toys, games, dolls, unhealthy food and other products to toddlers.
Any positive effect of television on infants and toddlers is still open to question, but the benefits of parent-child interactions are proven to be much more efficient’.
Dr. Massoud Abou Zeid
Paediatric, Neonatologist
