Toddlers under the age of two should not be allowed screen time or access to digital media to prevent mental health issues and other problems, according to Swedish health officials.
As of 2014, children aged 2 and under in the United States averaged at least three hours a day of screen time, according to a study published on JAMA Network. Among children ages three to five, the study found that they had an average daily screen time of two hours and 28 minutes.
However, health officials for Sweden's Public Health Agency now say toddlers under the age of two should be banned from using any digital media and TV to avoid poor sleep, depression, and body dissatisfaction. The warning was first reported by Fortune magazine.
How Much Screen Time Should Children Have?
Swedish health officials said screen time limits vary depending on a child's age. While toddlers under the age of two should not have any screen time, health officials recommend a limit of one hour of daily screen time among children between the ages of two and five.
Among older children, those aged six to 12 should not spend longer than two hours on a device while teens aged 13 to 18 should have a daily screen time limit of three hours. This would allow children to have time for communal or physical activities.
In addition to limiting screen time, Swedish health officials recommend against letting teens use smartphones and other gadgets before bed. They added that devices should be kept out of the bedroom at night.
Sweden said their country's teens---specifically those aged between 13 and 16, spent 6.5 hours daily on their devices. Meanwhile, in the US, teens of the same age averaged eight hours and 39 minutes of screen time per day, per to a study by Common Sense Media.
How Does Screen Time Affect Toddlers?
Numerous studies have shown that too much screen time can lead to adverse health effects. For instance, Drexel University researchers found that babies and toddlers who had screen time were more likely to display behaviors associated with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
A separate study found that toddlers are also more prone to emotional outbursts when they are allowed to use tablets at 3.5 years old.
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