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Tackling Toddler’s Screen Time Many parents are concerned with how much time their older kids are spending with screens, but what are the recommendations for young children? By Misha Valencia
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April 2020 | nymetroparents.com
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ost parents have put on a video or a show to distract their toddler while they washed dishes, made a phone call, or took a break. Even before we constantly talked about tablets and cellphones, parents used the TV to entertain children when they needed to get something done. While screen time is a concern for children of all ages, the toddler and preschool years are a crucial time for developing language and social skills—and excessive screen time can impact children’s development in these areas. So, how much screen time is too much for toddlers? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children ages 2-5 have no more than 1 hour of educational screen time daily. For toddlers ages 18-24 months, the AAP recommends limited use, with adult supervision, and children younger than 18 months are recommended to have no screen time (except video chatting).
Striking a Balance Young children with greater screen time exposure have decreased expressive language and language processing speed, according to study published in JAMA Pediatrics in November 2019. Plus, a January 2020 study published in The Lancet noted that 3 (or more) hours of daily screen time can decrease young children’s physical activity level and the quality of their sleep. Nicole Beurkens, Ph.D., a child psychologist and author of Life Will Get Better: Simple Solutions for Parents of Children with Attention, Anxiety,
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