Screen Use for Kids

There are many reason for parents to be thoughtful about how much screen time they allow their children. Amount of screen use per day has been associated with developmental outcome, ovesity, poor sleep quality, and eye development. Research from Canada has also found that preschoolers who had more than two hours of screen time pet day had a nearly 8 fold increase in ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)

Expert organizations have created guidance for parents to help understand the facts uncovered in scientific research. The World Health Organization's 2019 guidelines suggest no screen time at all for children before age 1, and very limited screen time for children for several years after that.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no digital media use (except video-chatting) in children younger than 18 to 24 months, and focusing on educational media when children do start using screens.

aao.org