The importance of reducing screen time with alternative activities

According to a study by Common Sense Media, nearly half of children under 8 years old spend an average of about 2.25 hours per day exposed to digital screens.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that screen time may be associated with developmental delays in children. Gregory N. Barnes, Director of the Autism Center at Norton Children’s, has highlighted that excessive screen time affects children’s language, physical, and emotional development.

According to Nagoya University in Japan, there is a significant relationship between screen exposure time and genetic predisposition to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Asian experts recently demonstrated that genetic predisposition to autism increases the tendency to abuse screens.

Dr. Jennifer F. Cross, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital, emphasized the harm of screen time on brain development. “There is emerging evidence that there may be some structural brain changes associated with greater exposure to screen time as a young child”, she said.

In this regard, Cross added that if children spend most of their time in front of screens, it may complicate their participation in activities such as playing with toys outdoors or interacting with other children to develop imagination, creativity, and social skills.

Therefore, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy promotes alternative activities in which children interact with their environment and are encouraged to develop cognitive, verbal, and emotional abilities.

However, the success of limiting screen time requires close collaboration from the family. In this sense, during screen time, caregivers should interact with children by commenting on what they are seeing.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), screens should be avoided in children under 18 to 24 months old, while children aged 2 to 5 should only receive one hour of educational programming.

Encouraging physical activities such as playing with a ball or bubbles can significantly change the development of skills in children with ASD. Interaction with specialized board games can also be encouraged. Similarly, outings to places like restaurants can help children gradually interact with caregivers and the surrounding environment.

In summary, the time children spend in front of digital screens can negatively impact their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Parents and caregivers must limit screen exposure time and promote alternative activities that encourage social interaction, creative play, and cognitive skill development.

We will share with you some practical tips that you can use

• When you go out to restaurants, take some of these toys.
• Beak breakers, easy-to-use and transport sensory toys, coloring books, alphabet soup, letters, and others, always taking into account what your child likes.
• Modeling is also essential; if children see adults on the phone instead of interacting with them or others, they will do the same.
• Place in the car a series of activities that the child can use alone, discuss in family, or use with a sibling or others.
• Remember that the important thing is to teach alternatives to screens.
• Create a visual schedule or home rules based on your child’s functionality.
• For example, phone use is from 4 to 5 when mom is cooking.
• On Saturdays from 8 to 3 or when we go in the car, or after homework and for 1 hour. it is important that children or adolescents are clear that this is an activity that has a beginning and an end and always guided and accompanied by limits and rules.