Screen time can damage under-twos’ development, landmark study suggests | Children’s health

For babies and toddlers under the age of two, screen time is associated with long-term negative effects on health and quality of life and should be avoided. landmark study.

It warns that using screens during this period could lead to wide-ranging developmental concerns and calls for urgent further research into the risks posed by smartphones, tablets and other digital devices to babies.

Researchers focusing on young people’s digital habits and the government’s plans to ban under-16s from social media fear a “baby blind spot” in policy at a time when screen use has become part of everyday parenting.

Rafe Clayton, senior lecturer in media and communications at the University of Leeds, who led the research, said parents who lack guidance on their own screen use are “inadvertently teaching children and babies to develop unhealthy habits and relationships with screen devices”.

“This needs to change,” he said.

The study, described as the most comprehensive review yet of existing global research on the subject, calls on the government to reconsider its recently published report. Guidance on screen time for under-fives.

It recommends avoiding screen time for under-twos, but adds a caveat to the advice by adding “except for shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation.”

But the new study reveals a wide range of potential harms of screen time for babies, including reduced opportunities to bond with parents and caregivers, less time for physical play with other children, and limited language development.

It is stated that screen use at such a young age can increase overstimulation and difficulty sleeping, and may have negative effects on eye health and childhood obesity. There are also concerns that babies are turning to digital devices for comfort and relaxation rather than parents.

The review, conducted by researchers from four UK universities known as the Digital Device Action Immersive Conditions Team, did not establish causal links between screen use and specific developmental conditions. However, it was emphasized that “no child under the age of two should be given intentional screen time on a regular basis. Passive exposure is socially unavoidable, so adding intentional use creates risk without any meaningful benefit.”

It is recommended that any official guidance for children under two years of age that regularly signals “shared screen time, screen time for learning, screen time for communication and/or screen time for children with disabilities/learning difficulties” should be re-evaluated as it could be misinterpreted by parents and carers to indicate safety or even encouragement.

“This could potentially lead caregivers to believe that there is no developmental harm to screen time for children under two, which could lead to further worsening of developmental delays and isolating behaviors for those who are already at greater risk.”

As a result of their findings, the research team from the universities of Leeds, Leeds Trinity, Loughborough and Aston are calling for a “baby screen time risk assessment” to help services provide targeted support to families where developmental weaknesses may be emerging.

Carmen Clayton, professor of family and cultural dynamics at Leeds Trinity University and co-chair of the study, said: “The government should consider how it can communicate better with families about problematic screen use, while also being sensitive to the fear of judgment that many parents face when broaching such topics.”

Andrea Leadsom, former Conservative minister and founder of the 1,001 Critical Days Foundation, said: “This landmark review is a wake-up call. The evidence increasingly suggests that screens offer limited benefits for babies and can carry significant risks during the first 1,001 days, the most crucial period of human development.”

He said parents should not be blamed for a problem they did not create. “The responsibility can’t just fall on their shoulders. That’s why every family should have access to a Best Start family centre, where they can access trusted advice and practical help in their baby’s first years.”

Leadsom said tech companies must do their part. “Parents should not be served content labeled or promoted as baby-friendly if the evidence suggests otherwise.”

England’s children’s commissioner, Rachel de Souza, who helped develop the government’s guidance, said it was intended to support, not replace, parental decision.

“The recommendation to avoid screen time for children under two is clear, but recognizes the realities of today’s world and that some shared screen use is completely normal in a limited number of situations, such as video calling with relatives or supported learning.”

A Ministry of Education spokesperson said: “We’re proud of our first-of-its-kind screen time guide for parents of under-fives, providing clear, trusted support on something we know can be challenging for families.”