Canadian Paediatric Society Position Statement
Screen time and preschool children: Promoting health and development in a digital world - posted Nov 24, 2022)
This position statement explores the:
- impacts of screen media on development
- psychosocial impacts of screen media
- impacts of screen media on physical health
Within each section, potential benefits and risks are explored as well as strategies to minimize and mitigate these risks.
Recommendations for families are categorized into how to:
- minimize screen time
- mitigate the risks
- as a family, be mindful of screen use time
- model healthy screen use
A few of the recommendations include:
- screen time for children younger than 2 years is not recommended except for video-chatting with caring adults
- maintain daily screen-free times
- avoid screens at least 1 hour before bedtime
- be present and engage when screens are used
- turn off devices during family time at and away from home
An accessible, easy to read summary of the position statement’s key points, including a short video can be found at Caring For Kids - Screen time and Young Children