Excess screen time in children linked to delayed development : Study

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