How screen time can affect your child's brain development
Kids today have more access to gadgets than before. And because of the pandemic, a lot of school kids have transitioned to online learning and this increases their time on a digital screen even more. But is this really harmful to a child's brain development?
Studies from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate kids who spend more than two hours a day on gadgets scored lower in language and thinking tests. Some children with more than seven hours a day of screen time experienced thinning of the brain cortex, an area of the brain related to critical thinking and reasoning.
What can parents do to establish healthier screen time habits? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding gadget usage for children younger than two years. The AAP also recommends limiting screen use for kids within ages two to five, to just one hour a day of high-quality programming.
Making screen-time rules and sticking to them and encouraging kids to engage in more non-digital activities are just some of the ways to establish better habits. Make sure to turn off gadgets at night and avoid kids using them before bedtime for better quality sleep.
The studies also hypothesize that screens could inhibit certain aspects of a child's development by limiting their focus of interest and narrowing their other means of learning. Young children that spend most of their time engaging with a smartphone or the television can have a hard time engaging in non-electronic activities, like playing with toys to enhance imagination and creativity, exploring the outdoors, and interacting with other children to develop social skills.
Screen time can also impact children's ability to learn languages. Children between one to three experience a rapid development in language comprehension according to NIH and kids learn languages best when engaging with adults through talking and playing.
Watching a lot of television during a kid's elementary school years might also affect reading comprehension and attention span.
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