Experts believe that the use of screens for children and adolescents is not harmful in itself, and that the most important thing would be not to use them an hour before bedtime.
A news study published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) reviewed a number of available data on the impact of screens on the health of children and adolescents. Unsurprisingly, overuse of screens has been linked to many problems, such as being overweight or depression.
Not enough evidence
However, the associations were less strong than the researchers expected. “There is no or insufficient evidence to establish an association between screens and eating disorders, suicidal ideation, cardiovascular risk, asthma or pain,” they write. There is also “little evidence” of associations between screens and anxiety, hyperactivity, inattention, self-esteem, poor cardiorespiratory fitness, poor cognitive development, low educational attainment and poor quality sleep.
In the end, the experts believe that the use of screens for children and adolescents is not harmful in itself, and do not set a time limit. The most important thing would be not to use it an hour before bedtime. “An hour spent using a good educational app or researching homework probably won’t have the same effect on a child as an hour watching TV with ads let alone an hour on social media. “, also explains Professor Kevin McConway (Open University, UK).
One hour a day on weekdays
For Stephen Scott, of the National Academy for Parenting Research at the Institute of Psychiatry, “it would have been good to have a precise number of recommended hours, for example one hour a day on weekdays, and perhaps 2 to 3 hours on weekend, as surveys show that many children use screens 4 to 6 hours a day”.
In France, one in two children starts watching television before the age of 18 months, according to the preliminary results of a recent study carried out by Inserm and INED on the subject. Two out of three 2-year-olds watch TV every day, and the situation gets worse as the parents’ level of education drops. 4 out of five children watch TV every day in families with less than high school education.
Fuzzy recommendations in France
“Inserm, Ined and the Directorate General for Health are working to change the recommendations of the authorities on the subject, which remain unclear. What we are observing for the moment is that this time spent in front of TV is done to the detriment of other activities and socialization time important for the development of the child”, underlines on France Info Jonathan Bernard, epidemiologist at Inserm and author of the study.
Regarding other screens, a majority of children do not use a tablet or smartphone at 2 years old, but 20 to 30% watch them at least every week, particularly in large families. Children with two or more siblings tend to play video games less but use video games more often. smartphones.
“In order to prevent serious developmental delays in babies and young children, we ask that national campaigns based on the observations and recommendations of professionals in the field […] be carried out in France and disseminated in all places of early childhood”, already called last year in a forum at the World 31 childhood professionals.
.