Are your kids getting too much screen time?
According to a 2016 Nielsen report, American adults spend an average of 226 minutes a day watching TV and another 191 minutes on their smartphones. Unfortunately, it’s not much better for kids. Children aged up to 8 spend and average of 139 minutes a day in front of a screen.
How much screen time does your family get? Is it too much? Too much screen time for children can lead to speech delay, sleep disruption, obesity, and other developmental issues. As a pediatrician, here’s what I recommend when it comes to screen time:
Screen Time For Babies
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children younger than 18 months. The one exception is video chatting with family members.
Some parents will be tempted to use phones and videos to keep their babies occupied or to help them calm down when crying. Resist. You can use toys, pacifiers, or other physical methods to help your child soothe. You do NOT want your child to start depending on technology as a coping mechanism at such a young age.
Screen Time For Toddlers
Parents can begin to introduce screen time at…
