Young children who spend too much time in front of screens develop more “sensory processing disorders.”
- In France, two-year-old children spend on average 56 minutes in front of a screen each day, a figure which rises to 1h34 for five-and-a-half year olds.
- Researchers have just established a link between high exposure to screens in very young children and the development of “sensory processing disorders”.
- Sensory processing is vital in humans. It consists of integrating information from the five senses (sight, touch, etc.) so that the brain triggers appropriate bodily and psychological reactions.
According to a new studyvery young children who spend too much time in front of screens develop more “sensory processing disorders”. As a reminder, theSensory processing is vital in humans. It consists of integrating information from the five senses (sight, touch, etc.) so that the brain triggers appropriate bodily and psychological reactions. Dysfunctional sensory processing is particularly prevalent in developmental conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder.
Sensory processing and screens: 1,471 children were followed
To study this essential mechanism, associate professor of psychiatry Karen Heffler and her team first recruited 1,471 children. They then measured their exposure to screens via questions asked to parents at three key stages of development: 12, 18 and 24 months. Each child’s sensory processing was also assessed via the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile.
The results revealed striking associations. For example, children who regularly looked at screens at 12 months of age were twice as likely as others to have dysfunctional sensory processing.
“This association could have important implications for ADHD and autism, because atypical sensory processing is much more prevalent in these populations,” said Karen Heffler in a press release. “It would be interesting to conduct further research to determine whether screen time early in life can fuel sensory brain hyperconnectivity,” he adds.
Sensory processing: we must “minimize the time spent in front of a screen”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not exposing children under the age of two to any screen, then limiting their use to one hour per day until age 5. Despite these guidelines, young Americans aged 2 and under spend an average of 3 hours and 3 minutes per day in front of a screen, which represents a significant increase compared to the average of 1 hour and 19 minutes recorded in 1997. In France , two-year-olds spend on average 56 minutes in front of a screen each day, a figure that rises to 1h34 for five-and-a-half-year-olds.
“Parental training and education is essential to minimize screen time for children under the age of two,” concludes study co-author David Bennett, professor of psychiatry at Drexel School of Medicine.
