This blog has been medically reviewed by Sarah Jerstad, PhD, LP, medical director of outpatient mental health services at Children’s Minnesota.
As parents, we all worry about the impact of screen time on our children, and may wonder what can too much screen time do to kids? Understanding the effects of screen time and finding a balance is crucial for our children’s well-being. This blog will provide insights and recommendations to help you navigate this challenge.
In today’s digital age, screen time has become an integral part of our children’s lives. While it offers educational and entertainment benefits, excessive screen time can have negative effects on their development and mental health. This blog will explore the impact of too much screen time on kids and provide practical recommendations to help parents manage it effectively.
What are the negative effects of screen time on child development?
Is screen time bad for kids? It can be when it is consumed too much, and when it replaces other health activities, like sports or physical activities, family mealtimes, and in-person social time with peers. Too much screen time for kids can impact both their physical development and mental health. Too much screen time symptoms can look like obesity, issues with attention, lower grades, poor performance on cognitive tests, behavioral problems, irregular sleep, depression and more.
It’s important to remember that too much screen time can be harmful for kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers.
The effects of excessive screen time on child development
Excessive screen time can affect a child’s physical development. Here are some common developmental issues linked to too much screen time:
- Focus and attention: TV shows and videos move quickly and keep a person’s interest which can cause attention and focus issues with children when they are not watching screens.
- Obesity: If children spend too much time on screens and stay sedentary while doing so, they may not be as active as they should be which can lead to weight gain and obesity.
- Aggression: Violence is commonly used in TV shows, movies and other media sources which can normalize violence in children’s daily lives.
No matter what’s troubling your child, we have experience treating it. Learn more about the conditions we treat and services we offer in our mental health program.
The effects of screen time on children’s mental health
Children’s screen time can also impact their mental health. Different sources of screen time can result in different associations; for example, social media can have a larger impact on teens than it can on toddlers. There are different effects of screen time on children’s mental health like the following:
- Irregular sleep: The use of screens before bed can disrupt your sleep. It’s recommended that parents keep children’s phones out of the bed and prohibit screen use 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
- Behavioral problems: Excessive screen time can lead to issues like irritability and aggression.
- Impaired academic performance: Overuse of screens can negatively affect school performance, especially if phones or computers are being used as a distraction from school and schoolwork.
- Depression: Screen time, especially social media, has been linked to low self-esteem due to kids and teens often comparing themselves and their lives to those they see on social media.
- Anxiety: Constant connectivity can cause an increase in anxiety levels.
- Addictiveness: Social media platforms can be a highly addictive experience. A “like” on social media has been seen to trigger the same dopamine pathways in chemical addictions.
At Children’s Minnesota, we offer different types of mental health care. One way is through integrating behavioral health professionals into our primary care setting, so we ensure children get the care they need when they need it most. If you have any questions or concerns about the effects screen time may be having on your child, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Is screen time always bad for kids?
As a parent you may wonder, how much screen time for kids? In reality, screen time in moderation is not always harmful. The impact depends on factors like the intent of the screen time (for example, if kids and teens are using it for educational purposes or entertainment purposes), and if it is replacing other important activities. Plus, it’s important to remember the amount of time spent is a big factor in whether or not screen time is bad for kids. It’s essential to find a balance that works for your child.
Are all types of screen time created equal?
The short answer: No, all types of screen time are not created equal. For example, many kids and teens use computers or tablets in school to learn from and do their schoolwork on. So, screen time in that way is necessary. But when a child or teen is spending hours on a screen for entertainment, or scrolling YouTube videos, or playing video games, it can have negative effects like the ones listed above.
How much screen time is too much?
Parents often wonder, how much screen time should kids have, or should parents limit screen time for kids? The amount of screen time that is considered too much depends on various factors, including the child’s age and developmental level.
Parents often face challenges in regulating and limiting screen time due to how the world works today, for example, screens are more commonly used in and for school than not and cell phones are common for young kids.
Screen time recommendations for kids by age
Screen time will impact development and mental health differently based on age, for example the effects of screen time on babies will be different than they will be on teenagers. Because of this, the suggested screen time recommendations will vary.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created these guidelines for media use:
- Babies and toddlers up to 18 months: Babies should avoid the use of screens, except video chatting with family members and family friends.
- 18-24 months: Toddlers should generally not have screen time, but parents and caregivers can spend some time on screens – like watching educational programs – with their toddler.
- 2-5 years old: It’s recommended that kids ages 2-5 have no more than 1 hour a day of screen time.
- Kids and teens 5-18 years: Parents should figure out what media limits work best for their kids. Consider things like their age, health and personality. Media should not take the place of enough sleep or being physically active.
Get more tips on limiting screen time for kids and teens.
Parents’ role in limiting screen time
Parents play a crucial role in setting screen time limits. Consider your child’s age, the type of screens they use and more. While parents should be more active in limiting screens for babies and toddlers, it’s important you continue to have conversations with your older kids about limits.
It’s also important parents watch their children’s behavior and development for any negative effects screen time may be having on them.
Finally, the best method of limiting screen time is making sure kids are engaging regularly in other activities. Organized sports, music and clubs as well as activities with family or friends will naturally keep kids focused on things besides screens.
How the experts at Children’s Minnesota can help
Should kids have screen time? We hope this article helped you understand if kids should have screen time, how much screen time is too much and the effects screen time can have on kids and teens. At Children’s Minnesota, we understand the challenges parents face in managing screen time with their kids and teens. But we’re here to help. Our experts can provide guidance and support to help you navigate this issue, especially if you are noticing negative effects on their mental health.
We believe all kids are one-of-a-kind. That’s why we don’t offer cookie-cutter solutions to mental health issues. We think each child’s care should be as unique as the child. Learn more about our mental health program.
If you are worried about your child’s mental health or simply have questions, our mental health kid experts are here to help.
