Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Screen Time: How Much is Too Much?

Screen Time: How Much is Too Much?

Have you ever wondered how all the technology we (and our kids) are exposed to is affecting our ability to communicate? It’s hard not to be absorbed in the shift towards electronic communication and entertainment. We all use it to streamline work, keep in touch, and now it’s the more comfortable option for kids and teenagers when they interact with their friends. Technology absolutely has it’s place and it’s important that kids are proficient in typing and navigating devices, but there will be time for that. When they are acquiring language in the preschool years, let them be kids.

The most critical ages for avoiding screen time, and handheld screen time in particular (think phones, handheld games, tablets), is from birth to 18 months (Handheld Screen Time Linked to Delayed Speech Development, The ASHA Leader, August 2017). The exception is video chatting with family or friends, which should still be limited at this age. The research within this article suggested that expressive language delays were more prevalent with greater amounts of screen time. Even when you introduce some educational shows or handheld interactive games to your toddler or preschooler, it is really important to watch the show or play the game with your child, so that you can comment and ask questions to encourage deeper thinking. Now I know what you’re thinking-who has time for that all of the time? I get it, and believe me, I have to use tv so I can get dinner cooked sometimes too, but it’s a guideline to aim for that will help your child’s language grow more in the end.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released updated guidelines for screen time. You can check them out here for each age range. Their recommendations parallel the initial research that was discussed in the article above for infants to 18 months. As a speech-language pathologist, I recommend avoiding screen time until at least 2 years of age, because it’s such a critical period of development for communication, and all of that language that’s building up during this time through engaging and social experiences is the foundation needed for all future academic skills. For 2-5 year-olds, the AAP recommends no more than 1 hour of screen time, which should still be educational and experienced together, when possible. Kids age 6 and up should have limitations on screentime, and most importantly, it should not interfere with sleep and physical activity. There are lots of apps available to limit screen time. Find one example here.

Quality time playing with your child, especially when they are toddlers and preschoolers, is the most important thing you can give them in regards to helping their language development. Explore, be present, read, play, get dirty, be outside, and discover!

1 comment:

  1. That is a very tricky question. There was a time when I didn't limit the amount of time he was playing games. However, I noticed that he became screen addicted... He was doing everything with his iPad, even slept with it. I discussed this with friends and colleagues, googled a lot and decided to start using a parental control app. I tried many until found this one - Kidslox (https://kidslox.com/). It is just a life saver for us. He became more disciplined and patient and now he knows the rules. Superb!!

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