Do Screens Really Stunt Kids’ Brains?
A new study links higher screen time with lower white matter in the brain. But don’t freak out. Here’s what you should know.
A new study links young children’s screen time with changes in the brain and slower language development. But parents, before you freak out, take note: Experts — including the author of the study — say it’s probably because of what activities the screen time is replacing instead of the iPads themselves.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, tested 47 children between the ages of three and five on their language and budding reading skills. It also measured the integrity of white matter tracts — bundles of nerve fibers that connect different brain regions — using a special type of MRI scan called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
While the kids were busy in the scanner, their parents filled out the ScreenQ, a questionnaire the researchers developed to assess whether the child’s screen use was in-line with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ current recommendations: “For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.”
