Managing screen time – community paediatrics advice

What is screen time?

Screen time is the time that a child spends playing on, or watching a TV, tablet, phone or computer. Screens are used for entertainment and education and are currently used by most families.

When children are on screens, they are less active. Screens do not support emotional development or how to understand relationships. Children need to see faces in real-life. Screens can affect development of attention and cause frustration.

What is the advice about screen time?

The World Health Organisation recommends that children up to 2 years old have no screen time and children aged 2 to 4 have maximum 1 hour per day.

For older children the RCPCH (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) suggests families answer the following questions

• Is your family’s screen time under control?
• Does screen use interfere with what your family want to do?
• Does screen use interfere with sleep?
• Are you able to control snacking during screen time use?

How does screen time affect my child?

How does screen use affect your family?

What would you like your child’s screen use to look like?

What needs to change?

How to support my child to reduce screen time?

• Spend time developing activities with your child without screens.
• Consider how to reduce screen time for everyone in the house.
• Ensure adults don’t use screens in front of children.
• Create physical boundaries – turning off the internet or removing devices or chargers from the house.
• If you decide to remove screens, be clear and consistent. Have confidence that you are the adult and that you know what is best.

What should I expect from our community paediatric appointment?

If you are worried about your child’s screen use this can be discussed in your appointment. It will be useful to share information about what your child does on screens and why you are concerned.