The experiences children have while growing up may shape their brains in ways that are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reverse later in life, adding another dimension to concerns about screen time among children and teenagers.
A conceptual paper published in the journal Brain Health examined existing research on how sensory experiences, physical movement, social relationships, culture and environment influence human development.
The authors use the term “criticome” to describe how experiences during critical developmental periods can leave lasting effects on who people become.
A critical period lasting into the 20s
Dr Julio Licinio, a co-author of the paper and distinguished professor of psychiatry at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University, said development from birth until around age 25 represents a particularly important period.
Experiences during those years can affect skills, behaviour and how the brain develops later in life.
The research does not establish precisely how current levels of screen use will affect children decades from now. According to Licinio, answering that question will require much longer-term research.
However, he argues that parents do not necessarily need to wait decades before considering how much time digital devices are taking away from other developmental experiences.
What children miss while using screens
One concern is that screens can provide intense stimulation through bright colours, fast-changing images and content designed to maintain attention.
Clinical psychologist Melissa Greenberg of the Princeton Psychotherapy Center said this can make slower, everyday activities feel less stimulating by comparison.
Children may consequently become less interested in offline activities such as playing with friends, cycling or spending time outdoors.
Those activities, however, provide opportunities for socialisation, movement and sensory experiences, all of which play important roles during childhood development.
The issue is therefore not simply what children are doing on their devices, but what they are not doing during that time.
Physical health is also part of the picture
Screen use can affect physical health as well.
Licinio pointed to research linking excessive screen time with childhood obesity, noting that children may be both less physically active while using devices and more likely to eat while watching screens.
Replacing some screen time with physical activity and direct interaction with other people can therefore provide both developmental and physical benefits.
Early experiences can matter later
The paper also highlights how exposure during childhood can affect the development of particular abilities.
Language is one example. Learning another language during childhood can produce levels of fluency that are considerably harder to achieve when starting as an adult.
The researchers also point to early musical exposure, citing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as an example of how experiences, opportunities and intensive practice during childhood can contribute to exceptional abilities.
The broader argument is that childhood provides an especially important opportunity for exposure to music, art, languages, physical activity and face-to-face relationships.
Time devoted to those activities may therefore be more developmentally valuable than hours spent passively scrolling through digital content.
Parents can change the rules
Parents sometimes feel that once children have become accustomed to phones, tablets or particular apps, it is too late to impose meaningful limits.
Greenberg argues that this is not the case.
Concerns about a child's reaction when a device is taken away should not necessarily prevent parents from setting boundaries. Indeed, intense distress at losing access to a screen may itself indicate that stronger boundaries are needed.
Parents should also avoid simply blaming children for those reactions.
Children have been given highly engaging technology and may struggle when access is suddenly reduced. Parents should not blame themselves either, Greenberg said, noting that families are collectively learning about the effects of rapidly evolving technology.
A US Surgeon General advisory has also warned about associations between heavier screen use and problems involving physical and mental health, behaviour, family relationships, academic performance and relationships with peers.
Don’t remove screens without a plan
Reducing screen use does not have to mean abruptly confiscating every device.
Greenberg recommends that parents first consider when and how restrictions are most likely to succeed.
Children accustomed to spending substantial amounts of time on devices may initially struggle to entertain themselves independently.
Parents can therefore plan alternative activities while helping them develop those abilities.
Possibilities include:
- Playing board games.
- Learning to ride a bicycle.
- Swimming or spending time outdoors.
- Participating in sport.
- Reading.
- Music and art.
- Spending time with friends and relatives.
- Volunteering in the community.
Additional help from extended family members can make the transition easier, while professional support may be appropriate for some families.
Parents’ habits matter too
Children also observe how adults use technology.
Restrictions may therefore be more effective when parents examine their own habits rather than applying rules exclusively to their children.
The emerging research does not mean every moment spent on a device will cause lasting harm, nor does it establish that screens inevitably alter a child's brain in a particular way.
Instead, it reinforces the importance of considering what digital activity is replacing during critical developmental years.
Teaching children to enjoy offline activities, interact confidently with other people, think critically and develop interests beyond digital devices may ultimately provide skills that remain valuable long after childhood ends.
Source: CNN
