We often see children—even small babies—being entertained by looking at smartphones, tablets, and other screens. What many parents don’t consider is that time spent in front of these devices can have serious consequences for a child’s health.
In professional terminology, psychotherapists have started using a new term, “screenism”, which refers to the negative effects of screens on the brain. When working with children, psychologists most commonly apply neurofeedback therapy.
Children who are exposed to screens for too long begin to withdraw into themselves, struggle with communication, speech, concentration, and similar issues. If the negative effects caused by excessive screen time aren’t recognized early, the consequences can become much more serious.
According to research, there are certain difficulties in what the child “gives back.”
– This primarily includes speech, followed by concentration, focus, alertness—or the opposite: daydreaming. It has been shown that there are developmental setbacks in children who were not neurologically at risk at birth, but who start showing signs of regression within the first three years of life.
In addition to the existing diagnoses we already work with—particularly those within the spectrum of pervasive developmental disorders—such a child may not fall under a clinical diagnosis, but behaviorally may strongly resemble characteristics seen in autism spectrum disorders.
Screenism: The Negative Effects of Screens
During conversations with parents, it’s often revealed that a child spends four to five hours a day in front of a screen, sometimes even more, in their early years.
– The difficulties we see in a child’s functioning during their early development are often caused by prolonged screen exposure. “Prolonged” refers to anything longer than half an hour. Neuropediatricians suggest that before the age of three, even half an hour is too much.
A child might be watching a phone or tablet in the morning while eating, then again while the mother is preparing lunch, and once more after a nap—again in front of a screen while eating. This kind of routine can have two major negative impacts:
– First, the child starts practicing what they’re exposed to. If a child is exposed to screens at an early age, they start to practice interacting with screens. In their first interactions with the screen, the child tries to establish communication with what’s on it. Since the screen doesn’t respond, the child begins to withdraw into themselves, because they receive no response in the communication.
At a young age, the child learns that there is one world inside the screen, and they begin to develop another world for themselves—two separate worlds that do not communicate with each other. This is the greatest harm of screenism. The child doesn’t learn to communicate through or with the screen, because the screen doesn’t adjust to the child or follow their communication patterns—so the child’s brain gets trained to disengage.
When we see things getting out of control—like when the child doesn’t acknowledge other children, withdraws into their own world and corners, or ignores us when we talk, doesn’t respond to siblings or guests—that’s when the situation becomes alarming.
What’s very important to know is:
“Whatever a child practices, they will eventually master.”