Excess screen time in children linked to delayed development : Study

A new study conducted in Japan highlights the potential negative effects of excessive television screen time on child development in early childhood. The research, was published in a recent issue of JAMA Pediatr. explores the relationship between screen time and developmental outcomes in children aged 1 to 3 years.

Although pediatric guidelines recommend that screen viewing be avoided for infants younger than 2 years and limited to 1 hour per day between the ages of 2 and 5 years, many children fail to adhere to these recommendations. Excessive screen time in children younger than 3 years is associated with adverse effects on cognitive, language, motor skills, and social-behavioral development.

The study analyzed data from a national birth cohort known as the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which included information from 57,980 children and their mothers. The analysis focused on children without congenital diseases, cerebral palsy, or autism spectrum disorders.

The findings of the study revealed a negative association between screen time and developmental scores in children. Specifically, increased TV and DVD screen time during the early years of a child's life was associated with lower developmental scores at ages 2 and 3. For instance, increased screen time at age 1 was linked to lower developmental scores at age 2, and the same trend was observed for age 2 to age 3.

Additionally, the study also identified an obverse association, indicating that lower developmental scores in communication at ages 1 and 2 years led to increased screen time in subsequent years.

Reference: Yamamoto M, Mezawa H, Sakurai K, Mori C, Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group. Screen Time and Developmental Performance Among Children at 1-3 Years of Age in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. JAMA Pediatr. Published online September 18, 2023. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3643