Growing up as ‘digital natives’, children today spend more time on screens than any previous generation.
Common Sense Media reports that nearly half of all children aged eight and under have their own tablet devices and spend around 2.25 hours on screens every day. This trend has led to Gen Alpha being labelled ‘iPad Kids.’ However, research suggests that excessive screen time could have detrimental effects on children’s development.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends no screen time for babies under two years old and no more than one hour of screen time per day for children aged 2–4. Sticking to these guidelines can be difficult, as screens are pervasive in our homes and busy parents often resort to using screens to pacify their young, crying children. However, they might be doing their child a disservice, preventing them from learning to manage their negative emotions.
Boredom is a natural part of life. For children, it can encourage emotional regulation and help instill control and self-discipline. Furthermore, boredom can spark creativity, as children use their imaginations to entertain themselves. Shoving a screen in a child’s face when they are bored or distressed may work as a short-term solution, but in the long-term could lead to frustration or an unhealthy reliance on screens. Excessive screentime can also have health impacts such as poor sleep, eye strain, neck and back pain, and an increased risk of obesity.
Do young children learn from screens?
For infants and young children, learning occurs through direct interaction with the physical world around them. Two-dimensional screens do not provide the same learning opportunities as real-life experiences. Research has shown that infants and young children learn less effectively from information presented on screens compared to in-person interactions, a phenomenon known as the video deficit effect.
Patricia Kuhl, a leading neuroscientist who studies thousands of babies every year, has stated: “What we’ve discovered is that little babies, under a year old, do not learn from a machine.”
Moreover, screens can hinder various aspects of a child’s development, including fundamental skills like empathy. Studies have indicated that excessive screen time can impede a child’s ability to read facial expressions and learn social cues. Unlike face-to-face expressions, where children can observe and interpret non-verbal communication, interactions with screens lack the depth and complexity necessary for developing social skills.
Charles Nelson, a neuroscientist at Harvard University who researches the effects of neglect on children’s brains, has emphasised, “Until babies develop language […] all communication is non-verbal, so they depend heavily on looking at a face and deriving meaning from that face.”
The impact of TV
Television viewing can also harm children’s development, particularly their language skills. A study revealed that children who spent two hours per day watching TV between the ages of 15-48 months were four times more likely to experience delays in language development. Additionally, if children began watching television before the age of 12 months, their chances of experiencing delays increased sixfold.
The issue may be compounded by the quality of the content being consumed. Poor-quality television programming, such as shows not intended for children, background television, and solitary viewing can be more harmful than the sheer amount of time spent watching TV.
When young children watch TV, they often have limited interactions with adults, which are the basis of their language development. Additionally, background television can be distracting and hinder a child’s ability to focus on tasks.
When ‘iPad kids’ become ‘iPad adults’
Excessive screen time during childhood can have long-lasting effects as individuals transition into adulthood. One concern is that this could lead to wasted time and an inability to focus. Instead of engaging in activities that promote personal growth, such as developing hobbies, learning new skills, or participating in sports, children may become glued to a screen, which may offer instant gratification but nothing of real value.
As these ‘iPad kids’ grow into ‘iPad Adults,’ they may face challenges related to social skills, their attention spans, and an overreliance on technology.
Adults who have spent a significant portion of their formative years glued to screens may struggle to interact effectively with others, find it difficult to concentrate on tasks, and rely heavily on screens for information and entertainment – but it’s not their fault. Children model their parents’ behaviour, and with more than 50% of Americans believing they are addicted to their phones, maybe it’s time for us to reassess our relationship with technology so that children don’t inherit our screen addictions.
