Why Screen Time is Bad for Child Development
If you have ever wondered, “Why screen time is bad for kids?”, you have come to the right place.
In today’s digital age, children are exposed to screens at an unprecedented rate. While technology offers undeniable educational and entertainment benefits, excessive screen time can be harmful.
In this post, we’ll explore the research on why screen time is bad for your child’s development and why it’s important for parents to set healthy boundaries.
If you are interested in more information, here are the recommended screen time guidelines for each age.
10 Reasons Why Screen Time is Bad for Kids
1. Delayed Language and Communication Development
Children develop language and communication skills through two-way interactions. Unfortunately, screens are only a one-way interaction which leads to these early learning delays.
Research has shown that children who have more face-to-face interactions have better language and communication skills than those children who engage in passing viewing on screens and other technology.
2. Shorter Nighttime Sleep
Excessive screen time, particularly before bed, has been linked to sleep disturbances in children. Many studies have found that the blue light emitted from screens suppresses melatonin production, a hormone that regulates sleep.
As a result, children may experience difficulty falling asleep, reduced sleep duration, and lower overall sleep quality. These sleep disturbances can negatively impact cognitive and emotional development.
3. Greater Risk for Attention Issues
Frequent screen exposure, especially at young ages, has been linked to attention difficulties.
This recent study shows how children who consume more screen time than what is recommended struggle to focus and maintain attention in offline settings.
This overstimulation may condition their brains to seek constant engagement, making it harder for them to concentrate on tasks that require sustained mental effort.
4. Lowers Problem-Solving Skills
In June 2023, a major research study was published and it found that children who were exposed to screen time at 1 year of age had lingering problem-solving difficulties at 2-4 years of age.
Unlike hands-on play, which requires children to figure things out, screens often provide quick, pre-determined solutions. This overreliance on digital entertainment can impair the development of critical thinking and the ability to tackle challenges.
5. Poor Physical Health
Excessive use of technology can unfortunately lead to decreased physical health in children. This is largely due to its contribution to a sedentary lifestyle.
Reduced physical exercise not only affects overall fitness but can also lead to long-term health risks, including obesity and cardiovascular issues.
6. Emotional and Behavioral Problems
One of the biggest problems for children with excessive screen time is the negative emotional health implications.
Recent research highlights how the increased use of digital devices has been linked to behavioral problems like aggression and emotional reactivity. These studies also show how exposure to screens, especially at a young age, can hinder a child’s emotional understanding, greatly contributing to behavioral problems.
If you feel like your child is suffering from this negative effect of screen time, try some of these easy emotional regulation activities!
7. Impaired Sensory Development
A more recent finding in child development research is the association between early screen time exposure and atypical sensory processing.
These atypical sensory behaviors can vary greatly for each child. You may see your child being disengaged in everyday activities, or they may be the opposite and seek intense sensory stimulation such as constant spinning or jumping.
8. Lower Academic Achievements
A growing body of research has been finding links between screen time and poor classroom performance.
Countries like the U.S.A., Canada, and Spain have all associated excessive screen time to lower academic success. The subjects that are the most affected are Mathematics and English.
These studies also found that as screen usage increases, participation in the classroom decreases.
9. Increased Risk of Myopia Development
One reason why screen time is bad is because of the increased risk for myopia development.
This study, published in The Lancet Digital Health found that kids with high levels of mobile device screen time had a 30% greater risk of developing myopia. This percentage rose to nearly 80% when their technology use also involved excessive computer use.
Increasing outdoor playtime is a great way to reduce your child’s risk of developing myopia.
10. Poor Nutritional Choices
The final impact of excessive screen time is its negative influence on a child’s nutritional choices.
Kids who spend much time passively watching screens tend to consume more food overall while opting for fewer fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods.
These 10 reasons why screen time is bad for child development are great reminders for parents to always set healthy boundaries.
If you are looking to reduce screen time for your child, try these 30 screen-free activities for kids!
