Effects of Screen Time on Children (Ages 1–5)

Audience : Parents of Right Beginnings Preschool

Effects of Screen Time on Children

1. Brain Development Delays

• Excessive screen time reduces opportunities for real-life interaction, critical for brain growth.

• Screens displace activities like talking, playing, and exploring, which are foundational for cognitive development.

Impact: Lower language development, reduced attention span, and weaker problem-solving skills.

2. Speech and Language Delays

• Studies link early screen exposure (especially passive use like TV) to delays in expressive and receptive language.

     Impact: Fewer words spoken, difficulty in forming sentences, limited vocabulary.

3. Behavioral and Emotional Problems

• Children exposed to more screen time often show more tantrums, aggression, anxiety, and poor emotion regulation.

• Screens often become a tool for calming children, which impairs their ability to develop self-soothing skills.

Impact: Hyperactivity, mood swings, difficulty coping without screens.

4. Sleep Disturbances

• Screen use, especially close to bedtime, interferes with melatonin production, disrupting sleep cycles.

     Impact: Shorter sleep duration, poor-quality sleep, and daytime fatigue or irritability.

5. Obesity and Physical Health Issues

• Increased screen time is associated with sedentary behavior, leading to higher risk of childhood obesity.

 Impact: Poor eating habits, less physical activity, and early signs of metabolic issues.

6. Reduced Social Skills

 Overreliance on screens reduces time spent on face-to-face interaction, key for empathy, sharing, and turn-taking.

 Impact: Poor peer relationships, lack of cooperative play, and delayed emotional intelligence.

7. Addictive Patterns & Reduced Attention Span

• Fast-paced content rewires the brain for constant stimulation, making it harder to focus on slower-paced activities like reading or listening. Impact: Shorter attention span, restlessness, early signs of screen dependency.

 Healthy Screen Habits for Ages 1–5

Age	Recommendation
0–18 months	No screens (except video calls)
18–24 months	Only high-quality content with adult co-viewing
2–5 years	Max 1 hour/day, supervised, educational content

Sources

Trusted Sources and Studies

1. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

   • Recommends no screen time (except video chatting) for under 18 months, and less than 1 hour per day of high-quality programming for 2–5 years.

     
     

     Link: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162591/60345/Media-and-Young-Minds

2. World Health Organization (WHO)

   • Recommends zero screen time for children under 2 and no more than 1 hour per day for ages 2–5.

     
     

     Link: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24-04-2019-to-grow-up-healthy-children-need-to-sit-less-and-play-more

3. Canadian Paediatric Society

   • Emphasizes that excessive screen time under 5 years can lead to poor language skills and learning difficulties.

     
     

     Link: https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/screen-time-and-young-children

4. JAMA Pediatrics (2019)

• • Found that more screen time at age 2 and 3 was associated with poorer performance in developmental screening at age 3 and 5.Link: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2722666