Screen use can cause “developmental delays” in infants and toddlers

According to a recent study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), children shouldn’t be allowed to use screens until they are three years old since they can cause developmental delays.

According to The New York Post, which cited study findings, babies and toddlers who are given screen time exhibit abnormal sensory behaviors connected to neurodevelopmental diseases like autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Screen usage for one-year-olds increased their risk of sensory processing difficulties at 33 months old, with a 105% higher likelihood related to screen time, according to a study including 1,471 children.

Negative behaviors such as a lack of interest in activities, a sluggish reaction to stimuli, a desire for more intense environmental stimulation, or a feeling of being overwhelmed by bright lights or loud noises were more common in children with these problems.

Researchers also discovered that a baby’s age and screen time had a big impact on their development.

Daily screen usage raised the likelihood of sensory issues by 23% at 18 months, but by 24 months it had decreased to 20%. Experts advise against letting kids under three use screens for three to five hours per day.

However, a study that was published in JAMA Pediatrics found that toddlers two years old and under slept for an average of three hours and three minutes every day.

“The key to minimizing, or hopefully even avoiding, screen time in children under two years old is parent education and training,” Dr. David Bennett, a Drexel professor of psychiatry and senior study author, stated in a release.

The one exception is video conferencing, as the social benefits are likely to contribute to a child’s growth.

This study adds to a long list of concerning side effects, including behavioral disorders, language delays, trouble solving problems, and sleep difficulties, that are likely linked to screen use.

It also coincides with a sharp increase in the prevalence of autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in recent years. Compared to one in 44 in 2018, one in 36 eight-year-olds in America had autism in 2020, according to a research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Since the CDC started tracking the prevalence of ADHD in the country in 1997, it has likewise been rising significantly.