Screens are everywhere, but are they safe for your baby/toddler?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, limiting screen time to video chats with long-distance family and friends until your child is over 18 months old is ideal. After that, screens can be introduced gradually, with regulation by you, the parents or guardian. Let’s dive into why it is important to monitor your child and what the professionals recommend.
As screens get introduced to children, ensuring they understand what they are seeing is important. While there are positive benefits to screen time, there are also several things children can be exposed to if not monitored properly. These include violence and risk-taking behaviors, videos of stunts or challenges that may inspire unsafe behavior, sexual content, negative stereotypes, substance use, cyberbullies and predators, advertising aimed at your child, and misleading or inaccurate information. According to the Mayo Clinic, over-exposure to screens at any age can lead to sleep problems, lower grades in school, weight problems, mood problems, and less time learning other ways to relax and have fun. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following limits to screen time (by age group):
- 0-18 months: Limited screen time to just video chats with long distance friends/family.
- 18 months – 2 years: Gradual introduction to high-quality media is OK, as long as a parent or guardian is watching along, helping the child understand what they see.
- 2-5 years: Keep screen use at or below one hour a day of high-quality programs designed for children. Continue to watch with your children to explain what they’re seeing and how it applies to the world around them.
To ensure your child maintains a healthy balance, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children and teens get 8–12 hours of sleep, one hour of physical activity, and have time away from screens/other media. This list can help your family set healthy boundaries and expectations with screens:
- Delay Technology Introduction: Don’t rush to introduce technology; children can learn quickly when they’re ready.
- Set Consistent Limits: Regulate hours and types of media used.
- Co-View and Select High-Quality Media: Choose and watch media with your child to foster learning and creativity.
- Health and Safety Checks: Regularly review media use for health and safety.
- Screen-Free Bedtime: Stop device use one hour before bedtime and keep devices out of bedrooms.
- Plan Media-Free Times: Schedule device-free family activities and designate media-free zones, like bedrooms, while doing homework, and during dinner time.
- Engage in Non-Screen Activities: Promote activities like sports, reading, music, art, and other hobbies that don’t involve screens.
- Set a Good Example: Model healthy screen habits by turning off devices during family times.
- Use Resources for Age-Appropriate Content: Refer to sites like Common Sense Media for guidance on appropriate media.
- Share Media Rules with Caregivers: Ensure consistency in media rules with all caregivers.
- Teach Online Etiquette: Discuss online respect, privacy, and safety.
- Advocate for Healthy Media Habits: Encourage schools and communities to support better media practices.
- Be Aware of Advertising: Help children understand how advertising affects choices.
- Decide When to Introduce Personal Devices: Base this decision on your child’s maturity and habits.
- Focus on Media Quality: Prioritize the quality of media content over the type of technology or time spent.
Balancing screen time with other activities is crucial for a child’s development and well-being. Ensuring adequate sleep, physical activity, and screen-free time helps maintain this balance. By prioritizing the quality of media and being mindful of the timing and context in which screens are used, families can create a healthy and supportive environment for their children’s growth.
Information sourced from the following websites: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, healthychildren.org, and Mayo Clinic