About 10 years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidelines for media use and exposure and many, many things have changed. As a matter of fact, things may have changed in the minutes you started reading this article.
Fortunately, Dr. David Hill of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine realized this huge shift, both the available forms of media and the understanding of media use on pediatric health outcomes and updated AAP guidelines to reflect those changes.
Bay Street Pediatrics is there to provide you with a summary of that guidance:
0-2 years of age
The earliest years may be the easiest age to manage your child’s media use because they can’t access a device unless you hand it over to them – and they certainly can’t create social media accounts. It’s also easy because the AAP advice is very straightforward: no screen time at all before the age of 18-24 months, except for Facetiming with family members.
However, this is the hardest stage for parents because we must now thoughtfully and honestly consider our own media habits. What example are we setting if we feed a baby while scrolling through social media rather than engaging with our infant? Screens cannot replace an active and responsive parent in a child’s development, but screens do prevent parents from being responsive to their child, interfering with bonding and engagement.
New parents should also take the advice they’ll give their child later: anything posted online can exist forever. While we understand you are proud of your child and have friends who will enjoy a comic video, consider very carefully – and multiple times – about using your kids’ photos or videos as content on your social media accounts, because over 50% of kids report that their parents have embarrassed them online.
2-5 years of age
Bay Streets Pediatrics understand that because 98% of all children live in a house with at least one smart device, the “no screens” rule can’t last forever. At this age, AAP guidance shifts from avoiding media to building healthy media habits.
What are healthy habits for preschoolers?
Start by setting limits. The AAP recommends limiting screen time to just one hour a day and we absolutely agree. This narrow time limit ensures that preschoolers are still engaging in other activities that promote better physical and emotional development, such as imaginative free play.
Second, curate content. Not all media is equal. Consider both the quality of the content and the quality of your child’s interaction with the content. Encourage your child to view material that engages them in a participatory experience – dancing, moving, singing and repeating words and phrases. Avoid passive content, when your child just stares at the screen. Davis recommends Common Sense Media and Sesame Workshop as helpful resources for accessing appropriate content.
Third, watch with them. While Ms. Rachel may irritate you to no end, at this age, parents need to co-view and engage with their child during their media use. Beyond monitoring the content, parents can help children become a more active and discriminating viewer. Ask your child about what’s going on onscreen to spark discussions and learning.
Fourth, stick to it as a family. If the adults in the house are not following your media plan, children will not want to adhere to it either.
Older Children
Between the ages of 8 and 12, the average child’s media use increases tremendously, to 6 hours a day. About 2 hours are spent on social media – platforms that allow the sharing of information. Talk with your children regularly and often about safe and healthy uses of social media. Research shows that increased communication about social media risks decreases dangerous health behaviors. At a minimum, parents should be talking openly about social media and appropriate online behavior and activity. Ideally, parents should still be co-viewing or monitoring media activity.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends families create a plan that will involve older children, teens and parents in setting priorities for media usage. Click here to begin creating your plan.
The Continuing Need for Monitoring
Ongoing monitoring allows you to understand your older child’s online behavior and interactions. Adolescents and teens who interact online with real-world friends and family are less likely to experience depression than users who tend to follow and interact with strangers. Watching how your child uses social media can help you teach them to use it in healthier ways.
Monitoring allows you to track excessive use. The average child in this age range is on a device 6 hours a day but 11% – more than one in ten – are on a device for more than 8 hours a day. Experts believe that about 8% of all children 8-18 have an unhealthy relationship to gaming or Internet use that produces addiction-like symptoms of irritability, depression, and withdrawal.
Monitoring allows you to watch out for and discuss the dangers of uniquely online concerns. Cyberbullying affects 10-40% of children, and sexting impacts 1 in 10 children over the age of 10.
Davis recommends prioritizing health first by maintaining reasonable limits, including one hour of screen-free time prior to bed to protect sleep. Media, when used appropriately, shouldn’t impact a healthy diet or interfere with frequent physical activity and exercise. Dr. Hill notes that the media environment is constantly evolving and that health guidance should continue evolving too.
If you’re concerned about your family’s screen time, install monitoring and time limiting tools on everyone’s devices, including yours. If you’re still having trouble breaking the screen habit, send a message through your patient portal. We will be happy to help.