The Truth About Children's Screentime

A few days ago, there’s a Facebook post about a 6 year old kid getting hospitalized because her arms got numb and she couldn’t move it. It was later diagnosed at the hospital that the kid suffered a focal seizure. And the cause according to the doctors? Too much screen time!

Focal seizures are seizures which affect initially only one hemisphere of the brain. In partial seizures the seizure is generated in and affects just one part of the brain – the whole hemisphere or part of a lobe. Symptoms will vary according to where the seizure occurs. In the frontal lobe symptoms may include a wave-like sensation in the head; in the temporal lobe, a feeling of déjà vu; in the parietal lobe, a numbness or tingling; and in the occipital lobe, visual disturbance or hallucination. Wikipedia

After reading the news about the child, it reminded me of the agreement we had at home ever since I gave birth. NO TV and NO GADGET until three years old. Yes, AV and I agreed that we won’t expose our kid(s) to TV and gadgets especially in their early years. This is due to the numerous studies stating that excessive screen time (whether it be smart phones, TV, computers, video games) for babies and toddlers is associated with higher rates of childhood obesity, behavior problems, ADHD, poor sleep quality, poor physical activity and poor school performance. We personally know someone who had speech delays due to excessive use of device.

Image from /www.thestar.com/

It is very difficult to totally remove TV and gadget especially on this day and age so here are the screen time recommendations from AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics)

• For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting.
• Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they're seeing.
• For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
• For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health. 
• Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms.
• Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.

It is very tempting to just turn on the TV or give a gadget whenever our kids started crying or when you just want to have some quiet time. But when you realize the long-term bad effects of it, you will definitely think twice before turning it on. Some parents may feel that it’s okay because their kid will get entertained and would stop crying but in reality it is doing more harm than good. So what can we do with their kids instead of watching TV or playing on their tablets? Here are some suggestions:

Images from Google

• Read a book
• Enhance sense through sensory play
• Go outdoors
• Schedule a play date
• For babies/toddlers, use items at home (spoon, hair brush, mirror) to entertain them
• Get creative with arts and crafts activities
• Have supervised baking
• Listen to music

Avoid relying too heavily on tablets or television to calm or entertain your kids. You may want to try other means such as those above, it will not only build your child's brain development but also your relationship with them. 


Unplug and create memories with your children!