By Kerri Kreh Reda, M.P.H.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has had recommendations in place for screen time (time spent using televisions, computers, phones etc.) since 1999. However, as digital media has changed, so have the recommendations. Below are the newest recommendations in a nutshell.
Recommendations for infants (18 months and younger)
- For children younger than 18 months, use of screen media is discouraged, other than video chatting.
Screen time for babies can interfere with healthy development and brain development, as well as healthy parent-child interactions.
Recommendations for young children (18 months-5 years)
- If you choose to introduce digital media to your 18-24 month old, choose high-quality programming/apps and use media together with children. Refer to “Common Sense Media” to help find good quality programming.
- Limit screen time to one hour a day of high-quality programming for children 2-5 years, and co-view with children.
- Avoid using media to calm a child.
- Keep bedrooms, mealtimes, and parent-child playtimes screen-free for all. Screen use should stop an hour before bedtime, and devices should be removed from bedrooms.
- Avoid fast-paced programs and apps with lots of distracting or violent content.
Recommendations for school age children and teens (5-18 years)
- Develop and follow a Family Media Plan.
- Address what type and how much media are used, and what media behaviors are appropriate for each child or teen, and also for parents.
- Help your child select educational media that encourage creativity and co-view the content or co-play with your child.
- Set media use limits that encourage balance with other health-promoting activities such as physical activity, sleep, family meals, school, and friends.
- Discourage entertainment media while children are doing homework, and make sure children don’t sleep with devices in their bedrooms.
- Implement media-free zones such as the dinner table and bedroom.
- Serve as positive role models on healthy media use.
To help parents manage their families’ screen time, the AAP has resources available such as the Family Media Use Plan and the Media Time Calculator. These resources can be found at the following link:
Media and Children Communication Toolkit
Kerri Kreh Reda, M.P.H., is a Human Development Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 330 or at kkr5@cornell.edu.