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Screen time can be beneficial as it can be educational, entertaining and helps the child develop certain skills when it comes to tablets. However, each age has its appropriate limits to avoid the negative consequences of screen time on physical and mental health:
- 0 to 18 months:Babies younger than 18 months shouldn't be getting any screen time unless they are video chatting with family members. "Instead, the recommendations are to focus on and encourage play, reading, and interactions between parent and child,1
- 18 to 24 months:At this age, kids can have some screen time, but it should be limited to watching educational content with a parent or caregiver. 1
- 2 to 5 years:At this point, kids can start to have recreational screen time outside of education, but it should be limited. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry recommends getting no more than one hour on weekdays and three hours on weekends.
- Older than 5:There is no one-size-fits-all approach for how much screen time older kids and adults should get. A general rule of thumb is that screen time shouldn't interfere with learning, relationships with peers and family, physical activity, sleep, or their mental health. 1
Further recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents to help their children develop healthy media use habits:
- Limit screen use to high-quality programming.
- Co-view.
- Co-play with your children and find other activities to do together that are healthy for the body and mind (e.g., reading, teaching, talking, and playing together).
- All children need adequate sleep(8-12 hours, depending on age), physical activity (1 hour/day), and time away from media.
- Designate media-free times together (e.g., family dinner) and media-free zones (e.g., bedrooms).
- Children should not sleep with devices in their bedrooms, including TVs, computers, and smartphones.2
More tips for Parents: 3
- Do not feel pressured to introduce technology early. Children can learn quickly through media interfaces.
- Monitor children's media. Test apps before your child uses them, play together, and ask your child what he or she thinks about the app.
- Turn off TVs and other devices when not in use. Background media can distract from parent-child interaction and child play, which are both very important in child language and social-emotional development.
- Keep bedrooms, mealtimes, and parent-child playtimes screen-free and unplugged for children and parents. Turn off phones or set to "do not disturb" during these times.
- Avoid exposure to devices or screens 1 hour before bedtime. Remove devices from bedrooms before bed.
- Avoid using media as the only way to calm your children. Although media may be used to soothe children, such as during a medical procedure or airplane flight, using media as a strategy to calm could lead to problems with a child's own ability with limit setting and managing emotions. 2
Dr. Bilan Yaman
MD, Pediatrics
