What are the effects of screen time on children?
In this day and age, screen time is hard for any age group to get away from. But too much of it can be especially harmful to a child’s well-being.
Despite the convenience of online educational content and digital entertainment, excessive screen time can contribute to the onset of vision problems in your child. It can also be harmful to their social skills, mental health and overall development.
Click on the infographic below to look at how screen time affects kids of all ages:
Sometimes screen time is necessary for school work and other important activities. But like many things, it’s best in moderation.
Discuss healthy choices around screen time with your children so that they understand why it can be harmful — and what they can do to limit their time on the computer, phone or TV. Talk to children about the addictive nature of screens and the importance of developing good screen time habits at a young age.
Prying your kid away from the screen can feel like a battle for both of you. But in doing so, you can promote healthier bodies, minds and eyes.
READ NEXT: Infographic: How to limit your child’s screen time
Is screen time associated with anxiety or depression in young people? Results from a UK birth cohort. BMC Public Health. January 2019.
Association between digital smart device use and myopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Digital Health. December 2021.
Blue light and your eyes. Prevent Blindness. Accessed January 2022.
Association of time outdoors and patterns of light exposure with myopia in children. British Journal of Ophthalmology. April 2021.
Screen time and children. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. February 2020.
Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. World Health Organization. 2019.
Limit screen time and get your kids (and the whole family) moving. American Heart Association. May 2018.
The Common Sense Census: Media use by tweens and teens. Common Sense Media. 2019.
Page published on Thursday, March 24, 2022
Medically reviewed on Monday, February 14, 2022
