Too much screen time may be having a negative impact on children’s learning, memory and problem-solving ability, according to Fraser Health.
Dr. Ingrid Tyler, Fraser Health medical health officer, reminds parents what the Canadian Paediatric Society recommends when it comes to children excessively watching television and using electronic devices like smartphones and tablets.
“For children two- to five-years-old, screen time should be limited to less than one hour per day,” she said in a news release. “For children under two years old, we recommend refraining from any screen time.”
According to the , three- to four-year-olds in Canada spend 1.9 hours in screen time.
“For children over six, there should be established and consistent limits on the time spent using media, with parents ensuring that digital media doesn’t take the place of sleep, physical activity or real-life personal interactions,” said Tyler. “In general, we recommend no more than two hours of screen time in a typical day.”
Other recent research about screen time shows:
- Excessive exposure is associated with cognitive and social delay
- Children with higher levels of screen time are at an increased risk for emotional problems and poorer family functioning
- Screen time in youth may influence symptom severity of depression and anxiety
- There is a higher risk of depression when screen time exceeds two hours per day
- Using electronic devices near bedtime is associated with inadequate sleep quantity, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness in children
Families can minimize screen time through a variety of ways.
“Regular physical activity helps to minimize screen time and promote overall well-being. Schedule outdoor time each day,” said Tyler. “Also, keep board games, books and puzzles around as an alternative. Parents may consider keeping a media diary to help track screen time. This is also an opportunity for parents to role model healthy screen time use, too.”
To learn more about healthy back to school information for children and youth, Fraser Health has released a with resources to support health questions of parents, teachers and administrators.
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