By Lizz Dinnigan, Preventionist
The effects of excessive screen time on childhood development have become a growing concern among parents and educators alike. Various studies show negative risks to children’s cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional growth, as well as to mental and physical health, making it a pressing public health concern. Of course, screens can be beneficial with regards to education and learning, but prolonged exposure has also impaired socialization, executive functioning and academic performance.
Cognitive and Linguistic Development
Face-to-face interactions and hands-on activities are essential for healthy cognitive and linguistic development in children, including acquiring social skills, improving language, and learning problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Prolonged screen exposure can limit these valuable experiences, leading to developmental delays in children caused by screen time. It can also lead to self-isolation, which causes children to have difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships.
Dr. Rebecca Hye, licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist in Middlesex County, says: “Excessive screen time can have a negative effect on face-to-face socialization in youth. The more time kids spend on screens, the less time they spend interacting in person, which means less time reading facial expressions, body language and social cues, as well as less time experiencing and expressing empathy. Without regular face-to-face socialization, kids don’t develop important skills to initiate and keep a conversation going. They don’t experience awkward moments of trying to keep a conversation going or finding common things to discuss with others.”
Several Monmouth County parents have observed how cell phones change the way kids interact with others.
Carrie, who has three boys in fourth to ninth grades, says: “I get one-word answers without them really listening; there’s no eye contact. They can become lethargic, short tempered and irritable. They are hyper focused on whatever they are playing, such as Fortnite, Minecraft or memes, and only want to talk about that. There is little to no interest in engaging in other people’s lives.”
According to Nik, who has tween daughters, “After talking with other parents, we noticed the kids have difficulty talking to each other. Even if they’re in the same room, they prefer the phone.”
Mara, a mom to two teen boys, agrees: “I see kids having less eye contact, and not wanting to ‘play’ in person with other peers. They would rather play online with their friends than in person.”
Socio-Emotional Impacts
Teens are prone to using cell phones as a crutch, which can be one of the negative social effects of screen time on teens, particularly in difficult moments. “Kids, especially teens, often use phones as an escape to avoid social interactions with others and to avoid potentially uncomfortable social situations,” says Hye, “But experiencing those uncomfortable moments and working through them are very beneficial to social development.”
There is no room for boredom to exist when a phone is present. Reducing screen time for teens is crucial, as young people need to feel boredom from time to time. If children are constantly stimulated by screens, they won’t learn how to rely on themselves or others for entertainment. It hinders imagination and motivation. Simply being with your own thoughts or striking up a conversation while waiting in line at a store generally doesn’t occur anymore. This is why it’s crucial to teach teens to use technology as a tool and not rely on it as a social crutch.
“It’s important to have kids engaged in in-person activities such as sports, clubs or other activities around their interests that involve social interactions with peers and/or adults,” says Hye. ”Social exposure and time away from screens during activities like these are very important. When it comes to technology use, try to introduce kids to apps and Web sites with some skill development or educational value. Try to find things that require engagement, not just video watching or scrolling.”
Mental Health Impact
Excessive screen time and mental health in children are closely connected, with seven or more hours a day increasing the risk of issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, aggression and bullying. Social media alone exposes children to cyberbullying, social comparison, FOMO (fear of missing out) and unrealistic portrayals of life, which can negatively impact their self-esteem and mental well-being. The effects of screen time on teenagers’ mental health, including video gaming, are connected to increasing anxiety in adolescents.
However, it can also be advantageous. “For kids with social deficits or anxieties, technology can be a good way for them to engage in social interactions that they might typically shy away from in person,” says Hye, “But it’s important that their online social life doesn’t completely replace in person socialization.”
What impact does screen time have on teens’ attention spans?
Chris, who has three teens, says it’s hard to tell. “One child has ADHD, so I’m sure it doesn’t help,” she says. “It’s probably safe to say, though, that the phone keeps them all demotivated. Generally speaking–when they need to get things done–I believe the phone will keep them from getting started.”
Mara believes it can differ depending on the child. “Although my kids spend a lot of time on their phones, I do not see their attention span being affected,” she says. “However, my niece gets easily distracted and irritable when she uses her iPad for an extended period of time.”
Carrie says that if she allows her sons to have prolonged screen time for even a few days, their attention span or tolerance for anything not on a screen is highly diminished. “We need to cut them off for an extensive amount of time cold turkey to get them craving anything in the real world for more than a half hour. The fast pace and short snips of online activity makes it impossible to compete with.”
Physical Health
Spending too much time on screens often leads to a sedentary lifestyle, which can contribute to childhood obesity. Extended screen use can lead to eye strain, dryness, and discomfort, a condition often referred to as “computer vision syndrome.” This is particularly concerning for children, whose eyes are still developing. In addition, the blue light emitted by screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.
Therefore, excessive screen time can have a negative effect on sleep. ”In the schools, I see a lot of sleep deprivation in teens. This leads to high rates of absenteeism or–for kids who do make it to school–tiredness during the school day, which results in distractibility, low motivation and poor work completion. This can be remedied by parents taking devices away/out of their child’s room at night before bedtime.”
Lack of sleep can result in poor academic performance. Social media can detract from time spent on homework and other educational activities, as well as reduced motivation to engage in learning. “In terms of academic performance, excessive screen time can have a negative effect on the development of executive functioning skills, which are the behaviors that help people plan and achieve goals, and an important part of academic success,” says Hye. ”Some executive functioning skills that might be negatively affected are working memory, emotional control, time management, prioritization, attention and multi-tasking.”
Babies and Young Children
Although we are primarily talking about how too much screen time affects teenagers, it’s important to note the severe effects of screen time on toddlers and young children. Many parents use screens as a pacifier to distract their children when they need a break or have other tasks to complete because screens are captivating and grab a child’s attention.
“For younger kids, we can see less development and exploration of imagination, less tolerance for being bored and less ability to entertain themselves through exploration and creative play,” says Hye. ”More screen time also tends to mean less time interacting with adults and peers, which can have a negative effect on language development.
Kids and teens may also spend less time on homework or reading for pleasure.”
Until they develop language, babies learn the most from human interaction. Face-to-face interactions are essential for healthy brain development in babies and young children. It’s the only way young children learn and interpret non-verbal cues. Facial expressions help them determine if a person is happy or upset with them. A baby cannot practice language skills if their caregiver always has their own face in a screen. In fact, the World Health Organization recommends no screen time for babies under 2, and only an hour per day for ages 2 to 4.
What’s the Solution?
To promote healthy childhood development and mitigate the effects of unregulated screen time, caregivers should establish boundaries and limits, raise awareness, implement restrictive parental controls, model the behavior they want, require outdoor play, stop using screen time as a reward and encourage alternative, stimulating activities.
“Phones need to be removed from schools, first of all,” says Chris. “We also need to raise awareness that the surgeon general has asked Congress to require warning labels on social media, saying platforms have not been proven safe. Raising awareness and having more conversations with them, we will find our kids agree. They see it. They need help managing it–especially those with ADHD–because in schools it’s almost impossible for them to turn away. Maybe it’s a conversation about what they are losing by being on phones so much. Maybe it’s also a lesson about time and how they spend it, and having them understand how much of their lives they are spending on the phone. I find success with suggesting other things to do instead.”
Carrie asserts that it starts with parents putting structure and boundaries in place–and sticking to it. ”We need to become informed and teach our children why we have rules for them,” she adds. “We should be openly communicating why a child does not get the same open Internet policy an adult does. It is impossible to avoid some social media for fitting in and basic connections with peers.”
While screen overuse is universal in homes and are increasingly integrated into school systems, we must manage and balance screen time to support healthy childhood development. “Sometimes I wonder if we should all ditch the phones for a few weeks to see how we deal,” concludes Nik.
Finding Balance in a Screen-Centric World
While technology has become an integral part of modern life, its impact on childhood development cannot be ignored. Excessive screen time is linked to a range of issues, from developmental delays to mental health challenges. However, it’s important to remember that screens themselves are not inherently harmful—it’s how they’re used and the balance that’s maintained that truly matters.
Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in guiding children toward healthier habits. By setting boundaries, encouraging face-to-face interactions, and promoting outdoor activities, we can help children develop the social, emotional, and cognitive skills they need to thrive.
The solution isn’t about eliminating screens entirely—it’s about reducing screen time for children and fostering a healthy relationship with technology. By modeling mindful usage, staying informed, and remaining involved, we can help children navigate the digital world without losing touch with the real one. After all, the goal is not just to reduce screen time, but to ensure that children grow up well-rounded, resilient, and ready for whatever the future holds.