Appropriate Screen Time for Children 

Screen time is age-dependent. Below are general guidelines for screen time; however, in general, the less screen time, the better:   

• Birth to 18 months old: No screen time 
• 18 months old to 4 years old: Less than one hour per day
• 4 years old and above: Up to two hours per day 

Our digital age is a double edge sword. While it is now easier to access information for a high school or college student doing research for a paper, that adds on to the screen time of an individual.

Between COVID-19, more virtual schooling, and schools integrating computers into the classroom, the amount of hours children sit in front of a screen has significantly increased. This makes it all the more important to have your child take a break to help divert focus, reduce eye strain, reduce the incidence of headaches, and move around after sitting to increase physical activity.

Side Effects of Too Much Screen Time in Children 

Many children come in with complaints that can be related to the amount of screen time they endure. Some of the more harmful side-effects of excessive viewing include: 

• Increase risk of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues   
• Deficiency of social skills
• Negative effects on quality of sleep and ability to fall asleep 
• Musculoskeletal complaints such as back pain, neck pain, thumb pain  
• Eye strain, which can lead to headaches (neck pain can lead to headaches too)
• Increased risk for anxiety, depression, and other childhood behavioral health issues
• Increased risk for violent behavior, depending on what the child is watching, whether it is TV, music videos, or video games.

Why does too much screen time affect children so profoundly? These results may come from a child replacing healthy activity with sedentary time. Instead of playing with friends or interacting with siblings or parents, they sit transfixed by moving colors and sounds on a screen.  In addition, if screen time includes video games or television shows with violence, this can increase violent behavior from your child. 

What You Can Do to Help Minimize Screen Time With Children 

Unfortunately, you will not be able to keep your child away from screens forever. There will come a time when they will need to use the internet for school, or you may need to occupy them while you make dinner.

So, what can you do to make sure your child does not suffer from too much screen time during media use?

Use screen time as a reward for good behavior, completing chores, or only after physical activity. Make it something your child has to earn instead of something they expect to receive. This gives more incentive to play, do homework, spend time with family and friends, etc – versus taking it away as a punishment for not doing what is expected. 

Here are some more tips to keep your child from experiencing adverse effects:

• Monitor the total amount of time your child spends using a device. This includes teenagers and their cell phones.
• Set a time limit for your child and stick to those times.
• Try to break up screen time in order to give your child’s eyes a break and to get them moving.
• Do not allow eating during screen time in order to prevent mindless calorie consumption.
• Do not allow any electronic devices at the dinner table to allow for social interaction and family bonding.
• Do not allow any electronics in the bedroom to help your child fall asleep and stay asleep more easily.
• Do not allow screen time at least 1 hour before bed.
• Use a timer, so your child knows when he or she has reached their screen time limit.