Study shows too much screentime slows children’s physical development

How much screentime is too much for our children?

A recent study shows that too much screen time may actually slow down children’s physical development.

Kids who are exposed to screens, like phones or laptops, for prolonged periods may see impairments to their motor skills, which is linked to a greater risk of developmental delays.

Gross motor skills are things like learning to sit or roll, or walk.

Fine motor skills relate to activities such as buttoning a shirt, tying shoelaces or picking up small objects.

"Children need to do activities to learn how to develop those skills, so a child who picks up baked beans to put in a container learns to use a pincer grasp to pick up an object that is small," explains Dr Kaajal Parbhoo, Head of Paediatric Neurology at Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.

The problem comes when the same 'game' is simulated on a screen.

"All they do is touch the bean with the finger and drag it across, so they don't actually learn that dexterity that is required."

Parbhoo says there are age-appropriate guidelines which parents can use to determine how much screen time kids should have.

"Under 18 months, there should be very little, if any, screentime."

Slightly older children up to the age of five can tolerate more; experts suggest no more than one hour a day.

Parbhoo says children aged five and up pose a unique challenge, as schooling at that age often relies on digital devices.

But overall, excessive screentime is associated with poorer outcomes, not only with motor skills development, she says.

"In terms of social development, negative behaviour outcomes, speech delay, many studies over the last few years have shown there is a negative impact."

To listen to Parbhoo in conversation with 702's Gugs Mhlungu, click below: