Early Childhood Development and the Risks of Excessive Screen Use

In today's digital landscape, screen use is prevalent. For children under five, excessive screen time can significantly hinder development. Research indicates that exceeding the recommended one-hour-per-day limit for preschoolers can lead to negative outcomes. Children who spend more than two to three hours on screens daily are likely to experience behavioral problems, delays in developmental milestones, and challenges in language acquisition. For instance, a study of 36-month-olds found a correlation between higher screen time and behavioral difficulties, delayed milestone achievement, and reduced vocabulary. Additionally, research by Xiang et al. (2022) indicates that increased screen time at a young age is linked to emotional issues and hyperactivity by age four. Other studies have shown that such children often face conduct and learning difficulties, lower quality of life, and heightened impulsivity. Excessive screen time also adversely affects physical and motor development. A systematic review by Bakht et al. (2025) highlights a negative association between screen time and motor skill development in children aged 0 to 7, likely due to reduced active play. Overall, these trends reflect not only the detrimental effects of passive screen time but also its disruption of essential interactions—such as conversations with caregivers and physical activity—that are vital for early brain development.

References

1. Bakht, D., Yousaf, F., Alvi, Z., Buhadur Ali, M. K., Hadeed Khawar, M. M., Munir, L., Hussain Bokhari, S. F., Qureshi, M. S., Raza, M., & Qureshi, A. A. (2025). Assessing the Impact of Screen Time on the Motor Development of Children: A Systematic Review. Pediatric Discovery (Online), 3(2), e70002-n/a. https://doi.org/10.1002/pdi3.70002

2. McArthur, B. A., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2022). Screen time and developmental and behavioral outcomes for preschool children. Pediatric research, 91(6), 1616–1621. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01572-w

3. Xiang, H., Lin, L., Chen, W., Li, C., Liu, X., Li, J., Ren, Y., & Guo, V. Y. (2022). Associations of excessive screen time and early screen exposure with health-related quality of life and behavioral problems among children attending preschools. BMC Public Health, 22(1), Article 2440. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14910-2