Young children who spent more time in front of screens — whether television, video games, or mobile phones and other electronic devices — had higher likelihood of developmental delays, according to a Japanese study.
In a cohort study of 7,097 children, greater screen time for children 1 year of age was associated with developmental delays in communication and problem-solving at 2 and 4 years of age, reported Taku Obara, PhD, of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, and colleagues writing in JAMA Pediatricsopens in a new tab or window.
Compared with less than an hour a day of screen time at 1 year of age, communication developmental delay at 2 years of age was 61% more likely for those getting up to 2 hours of screen time per day, twofold more likely with 2 hours to less than 4 hours a day, and nearly fivefold more likely with 4 or more hours of screen time per day.
For fine motor skills, 4 or more hours a day in front of a screen was linked to 74% higher risk of developmental delay at 2 years of age compared with watching less than an hour a day at 1 year of age.
Problem-solving delays were seen with 2 to less than 4 hours per day (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02-1.92) and for 4 or more per day versus less than 1 hour per day (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.72-4.14). Personal and social skills were more than twice as likely with 4 or more versus less than 1 hour per day.
The significant associations persisted to age 4 for developmental delay in communication (OR 1.64 with 2 to <4 hours/day and OR 2.68 for ≥4 hours/day) and in problem-solving (OR 1.91 for ≥4 hours/day).
“The recent proliferation of digital devices has focused attention on the link between ST [screen time] and child development,” Obara further told MedPage Today in an email.
However, he cautioned: “The most important point is that [these] results represent an association, not a causation. So, clinicians and/or parents need not to limit children’s’ ST based on our results.”
Still, it’s plausible that screen time might be causally linked to developmental delays, commented Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, of the University of California San Francisco.
“Screens can disrupt or displace interactions with caregivers and limit opportunities for verbal exchanges, which can impair communication and social skills,” said Nagata. “Passive screen time, such as mindlessly watching television or videos, may not allow children to practice interactive problem-solving skills. When screen use does not have an interactive or physical component, children are sedentary and may not be able to practice their gross motor skills.”
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