Belinda Joyce
Babies and toddlers love watching screens, couple that with the fact that there are screens everywhere now and the result is often too much screen time.
Many parents are concerned about the amount of screen time their baby or toddler is being exposed to and wonder how much is safe.
Screen time includes time spent watching TV, iPads, tablets, smart phones, computers, video chatting and so much more.
Screens are now seen in shops, child health centre waiting rooms, GP clinics, on fridges, at sporting venues, churches, advertising billboards, in cars, smart phones and smart boards in classrooms to name a few.
Parents themselves are using screens throughout the day for a variety of reasons such as using smart phones to communicate with friends & family, making video calls, working from home on laptops, playing games, online shopping, reading online books & blogs, watching TV & movies and more.
Babies up to 2 years of age:
Both National and International groups such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) agree that there is no benefit to babies or toddlers under the age of 2 years being exposed to screens. In fact, too much screen time has been associated with some negative consequences.
The only exception to this is video chatting with friends and family as this has the benefit of creating and sustaining strong bonds and encouraging social and language development. Even in this case experts believe it probably benefits the adults more than the baby or toddler.
Children from 2 – 5 years of age:
From 2 years to 5 years of age the recommendation is for no more than 1 hour per day of screen time and less time is better.
The Research:
The current recommendations are based on the available research and much more is needed.
The early years are a time of rapid brain growth, learning and development.
The more time a baby or child spends on a screen:
- less time interacting with parents and siblings
- less physical activity and play
- reduced sleep both quality and duration.
Speech development:
Too much time watching screens can in turn delay speech development.
Learning to speak requires many interactions with parent and baby both engaged and participating. By watching screens there is less interaction with others. Babies start by hearing words and then gradually starting to mimic and learn these sounds and words.
When a parent is distracted by a screen, research has shown they will use less variety of words and therefore their baby learns less vocabulary.
Sleep:
Being exposed to screens overstimulates babies and young children’s brains and makes falling asleep much more difficult. Studies have shown that their sleep is reduced in quality and duration. This has been found even in babies at 6 months of age after using touch screen devices.
This problem can be reduced by avoiding screens in the hour before sleep.
Physical activity:
Babies and children exposed to more screen time often have much less physical activity as they are still while watching the screens. This can become a lifelong habit.
Young babies are in many cases getting less than the recommended 30 minutes of tummy time every day.
Children 2 years and older who have more than the recommended screen time are more likely to have a higher Body Mass Index (BMI)and are more at risk of obesity.
Healthy eating:
Babies and children watching screens while eating tend to eat more than required as they are distracted from their feelings of becoming full. The research shows that less healthy snack foods are often chosen to eat in front of the screen.
Educational screen time:
Some parents feel that screen time is educational however the research shows that any educational benefit starts at a minimum of 2 years of age.
This would require both a high-quality program and a parent or adult involved and interacting with the child and screen.
Young children should never be left alone with a device connected to the internet due to inappropriate images and pop-ups that can randomly appear and be frightening and damaging to your child.
Strategies to reduce screen time:
- When putting baby down on the floor don’t face them towards the TV.
- Don’t give your toddler open access to iPad & screened toys/devices.
- Active family play time, indoors and outdoors.
- Role model reduced use of screen time yourself.
- No screens when eating or at the dinner table (parent too).
- Screen free bedrooms.
- Try to avoid checking your phone when playing with child.
- Avoid unsupervised screen time.
- Play activities with no screens such as puzzles, dress ups, book, drawing, cooking, outside play.
- Take toys in a bag to appointments rather than giving child your phone in the waiting room.
- Turn off the TV when a program you’re watching finishes.
Parents:
Research shows that over 60% of parents are concerned about the effects of screen time but many of these parents allow their child more than the recommended screen time.
Over 70% of babies in Australia are exposed to screen time every day.
Screens are too often used to keep children occupied whilst parents are getting other tasks completed.
Parents state that they want their child to be able to use technology for future school and workplaces that will require this knowledge.
Parents have control of how often babies and young children are exposed to screen time and by using some of the above strategies can drastically reduce the amount of time their children are exposed.
Many family homes have the TV on all day, especially if they have older children. Trying to reduce this to selected programs only will make a significant difference.
At the end of the day, realistically you can’t avoid all screens and letting your baby see some screens is okay. Just knowing about the recommendations and why they are suggested, will help you to reduce screen time for your baby, children as well as yourself.
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