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Screens dominate much of the modern world, and there are ongoing debates, among experts and parents alike, about whether young children should be exposed to them. So what exactly is the real impact of screen time on a child's neuropsychological development?

Many pediatric associations recommend limiting exposure during childhood, especially for children under five years of age, but research suggests that the picture is far from black and white—both the context and content of a child's screen time are key to its impact.

Â鶹ÒùÔºical effects

Several studies have highlighted that prolonged use of screens can cause .

In addition, technology cannot, and should not, replace the natural stimulation that children need. Free play, physical exercise, face-to-face interaction and contact with nature are all essential to a child's development, but replacing these experiences with excessive and passive screen time can increase the .

Neuropsychological effects

Beyond the physical, there is concern about the effects of screen time on functions like attention, language learning and emotional regulation. A conducted in children under 3 years of age highlights that the amount of screen time is not the only factor—conditions and context are also vitally important.

For instance, if an adult is present, commenting on or interacting with the content alongside the child, it enhances learning and attention. In contrast, passive or unsupervised exposure poses a risk to cognitive development.

The use of screens in the background, such as leaving the television on while a child is playing, also , even if the child is not looking directly at it.

If used for educational purposes and under supervision, tablets, cell phones and television can be valuable learning tools, but if used carelessly they can limit the that the developing brain so desperately needs.

The real problem: Inappropriate content

The main risk is not necessarily the screen itself, but what is on it. Early exposure to non-child-friendly content is associated with difficulties in , especially inhibitory control (an essential part of regulating behavior and cognition), and delays in language learning. While studies do not attribute causation, we can say that these issues are not entirely due to screen time alone.

Higher levels of indiscriminate use of televisions, computers, phones or tablets in young children (around 3 years of age) is associated with worse levels of , as well as a lower level of brain activation in the related brain areas (the prefrontal cortex).

Additionally, watching television at age 2 has a —a 2010 study indicated that children who watched TV the most were also the .

Passively viewing platforms such as YouTube can also have negative effects on the youngest children: children aged two to three years who are more exposed to this platform tend to have . Researchers attribute this effect to the aforementioned reduction in social interaction.

Other studies have linked excessive television viewing to , as well as . It has also been found that watching too much television between 15 and 48 months triples the likelihood of . These findings are all consistent with the results of other .

What about child-friendly content?

This is where the story changes. Children's and educational content can have positive effects, especially if accompanied by interaction.

For example, digital programs designed to improve attention and executive functions in children aged 4-6 years have not only shown improvements in these abilities, but also in , . It appears that certain congenital factors, such as the presence of the , may influence the effectiveness of these programs.

Viewing educational content (numerical, spatial concepts and vocabulary) in 3- and 4-year-olds, especially if the content presented has a .

In addition, technology can boost social inclusion and intervention. In psychosocially vulnerable children between 4 and 5 years of age, . In children with autism (aged 3 to 16 years), a 2017 study found that digital intervention improves .

Using digital programs alongside family interaction was also shown to in children with language delays aged 2–4 years.

However, we should keep in mind that the evidence of positive neuropsychological effects is stronger in children aged . At this age, children even show high levels of transfer, meaning there are visible effects in their daily lives that go beyond the processes trained in an app or digital program. This includes .

Movement, exploration and socialization

Despite their potential benefits, it cannot be stressed enough that screens are no substitute for free play, physical exercise and social interaction.

That being said, a recent concluded that technology can also play a positive role when it is proactively integrated into physical and social play. This can include playing with smart objects (such as a ball that records kicks or a swing with sensors that gives out virtual prizes) and , which use GPS and augmented reality to encourage movement.

In short, technology can stimulate movement, exploration and socialization, but only if it is designed with these objectives in mind.

Expert recommendations

Several expert bodies have made recommendations on how to make the best use of screen time:

• suggests avoiding screens for children under 18 months of age (except for video calls). When they are 18–24 months old, they only recommended consuming quality content, always accompanied by adults. In the case of children between 2 and 5 years old, a maximum of one hour a day of educational content should be allowed.

  They also recommend using screens as an educational tool (as opposed to a distraction), setting an example of healthy technology use through our own actions, and avoiding them before bedtime.

• recommends limiting screen time to a maximum of 1 hour per day for children between 2 and 4 years of age, and two hours for children between 5 and 17 years of age.

Screens aren't the enemy

The blanket statement of "screens are bad" is like saying that paper is harmful because of the books that are printed on it. What matters is not the medium but the content, the context and the quality of the interaction.

The challenge is therefore to find a balance, to respect childhood development, and to use technology in helpful ways, not as a substitute for play, interaction and physical experience.

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