The hidden costs of excessive screen media use in kids | India News
New research highlights how children in India outperform the world Screen time guidelineswith long-lasting effects on health and cognitive abilitiesMultiple screens have become an integral part of children’s lives. But is it safe for young people to spend so much time on the screen? Findings from existing research suggest that devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and TVs can support learning, but their excessive use is associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes.A recent study*, published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, examined children and adolescents with mental disorders to assess their screen use habits. The results are interesting: the average daily screen time was 3.1 hours. Importantly, two-thirds of the 212 study participants (mean age 13 years) exceeded screen time limits set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). These guidelines recommend no screen exposure for children under two (excluding video calls), less than one hour per day for ages two to four, and no more than two hours per day for ages five and older.
The survey revealed that television (66%) and mobile phones (70.3%) were the most used devices, among the 212 children and adolescents who were part of the study. Alarmingly, 22.2% of children met criteria for screen media addiction based on DSM-5 criteria for Internet gaming disorder. DSM-5 is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, a guide used by researchers to diagnose, classify, and treat mental health disorders.Addiction was more common in boys, in joint or extended families, and in children with neurodevelopmental or disruptive disorders.Excessive screen use leads to obesity, sedentary behavior, poor eating habits and sleep disturbances. Cognitively, prolonged exposure can impair language development, executive functioning, and emergent literacy skills. Research even suggests structural brain changes in preschool children with high screen exposure, particularly affecting white matter tracts (which act as the brain’s communication network), important for learning and communication.Psychologically, children addicted to screen media often exhibit cheating (hiding or lying to use the device), preoccupation, withdrawal symptoms, and conflict within the family. Screen use also interferes with friendships and family activities, increasing vulnerability to cyberbullying, unsafe online content, and negative emotional states.The study emphasizes the urgent need for parental awareness and control. Parents often give children with neurodevelopmental disorders extra screen time as a coping mechanism, but this leads to more problems. In joint family settings, inconsistent parenting rules can exacerbate the problem.In conclusion, screen media use in children is not inherently harmful, but its excessive and uncontrolled use poses significant risks to physical health, cognitive development, and emotional well-being. As nearly one-quarter of children in mental care show signs of addiction, regular assessment of screen habits and strict adherence to recommended guidelines are necessary steps to protect the next generation.(* Problematic Screen Media Use of Children and Adolescents Attending Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services at a Tertiary Care Center in North India by Venkatesh Raju, Akhilesh Sharma, Ruchita Shah, Ravikant Tangella, Sana Devi Yumnam, Jyoti Singh, Jayvinder Yadav, and Sandeep Grover)
