Screen Time Guidelines for Parents
Infancy & Early Childhood (0-2 years)
- Until 18 months, limit screen time to short duration video chatting only.
- From 18-24 months, limit to co-viewing educational programs
- Prioritize physical interaction, playtime, and language-rich environments.
- No screen time before bed; promote calming activities instead.
Preschool (2-5 years)
- 1 hour or less a day and 3 cumulative hours over the weekend. Limit to educational content.
- Co-view programs with your child. Engage them in related real-world activities, e.g., if you watch a program about baking a cake, follow up with baking a cake.
- Avoid fast-paced, non-educational content that may overstimulate or distract.
School-Aged Children (6-12 years)
- Set consistent limits on recreational screen time (e.g., 1 hour per day).
- Encourage educational viewing and interactive apps that promote learning.
- Monitor content for age-appropriateness and educational value; discuss with your child.
Teenagers (13-18 years)
- Establish guidelines for balancing screen time with schoolwork, physical activity, and social interactions.
- Encourage self-monitoring of screen use and responsible online behavior.
- Model healthy screen habits as a family; prioritize face-to-face communication and downtime.
Effects of Screen Time on Development
Physical Health
- Excessive screen time correlates with sedentary behavior which leads to health issues like obesity and poor sleep quality.
- Lack of physical activity and prolonged screen use can strain eyesight and posture, contributing to musculoskeletal problems.
Cognitive and Psychological
- Screens can overstimulate young brains, affecting attention span, memory, and executive functions. Development of language skills and social-emotional competencies can also be hindered.
- Screen time can alter dopamine production in the brain, affecting mood regulation and leading to potential addiction-like behaviors.
Social and Behavioral
- Children may struggle with social interactions and emotional regulation due to reduced face-to-face interactions.
- Prolonged screen use during critical developmental stages may affect myelin and white matter development in the brain, potentially impacting cognitive processing speed and emotional regulation.
General Recommendations
- Promote outdoor activities, hobbies, and family time as alternatives to screen use.
- Use parental controls and screen time apps to enforce limits and track usage.
- Create tech-free zones and times. No screens during meals, no screens for at least 30-60 mins before bed, etc…
References:
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2024, May). Children and watching TV. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx
Hutton, J. S., Dudley, J., Horowitz- Kraus, T., DeWitt, T., & Holland, S. K. (2020). Associations between screen – based media use and brain white matter integrity in preschool – aged children. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(1).
OccupationalTherapy.com. (2024, February 12). Screen use in children and adolescents. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.occupationaltherapy.com/ot-ceus/course/screen-use-in-children-and-9586
