After Sweden restricts screen time for children, experts express their views for India

Screen dependence can impair a child’s attention span. Representation Pics

Earlier this month, The Swedish Public Health Authority issued guidelines limiting screen time for the country's children - while toddlers below two years are being prohibited from any exposure to digital screens (including television), children between two and five years of age are limited to an hour, and those between six and 12 years to a maximum of two hours. The guidelines also recommend a maximum of three hours of screen time for teenagers. With this announcement, Sweden joined a growing list of countries, including the USA, Ireland, Australia, Canada and France, seeking to wean young children off digital screens. This is a move that experts in India are applauding as necessary, especially in light of the uptick in screen time among children post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Nahid Dave, Dr Samir Dalwai and Dr Meghna Dixit

From real to virtual

Dr Samir Dalwai, a developmental paediatrician and spokesperson for the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, notes that the most significant impact of increased screen time, especially in children below the age of three, is on their social cognition. He explains, "This period is when they learn how to behave. They learn these behaviours by connecting with and observing human beings. Screens impact these social interactions - they are very lucid and captivating, leading children to prefer these over people." As children grow older, they find themselves isolated owing to their inability to form social connections. Screen dependence also impairs their attention span. Children become bored and irritable more easily, and crave increasing doses of screen time.

Furthermore, many parents fail to recognise that mobile devices also give children a fake sense of control, he warns. "Children are wonderful dreamers and creators. When that energy is caged into pre-fabricated moulds of thinking, it can lead to a state where the child doesn't have to think for themselves. This lack of imagination hampers their capacity to find solutions," shares Dr Meghna Dixit, author and brain performance expert.

A silent epidemic

Experts suggest parental supervision during restricted screen time to avoid adverse effects such as irritability and reduced social awareness

"On a mobile phone, a child can swipe, edit and delete endlessly. It gives them the idea that they can control every interaction," he elaborates. Dr Nahid Dave points out that most parents also equate their child reciting the letters of the alphabet or counting, with their ability to communicate. "Language and communication entail understanding the meaning of words, and the contexts that these words are used in," she says. Being deprived of human interactions impairs the development of such critical thinking, emotional regulation and problem-solving skills. Such children resort to temper tantrums and even physical hitting as they lack the tools to otherwise express or regulate their emotions. Dave points to a growing body of research that marks screen time as one of the factors in the development of autism.

Shift in mindset

Fatema Agarkar

"Post the pandemic, almost all secondary education is conducted online. Parents falsely believe that schools that do not insist on iPads and similar gadgets are behind the times. Many parents are also proud when their child is able to independently operate gadgets," Dr Dalwai says. "It is okay for a child to be bored and to devise his/her own ways of alleviating that boredom. It is not the responsibility of the parent to entertain the child at all times," Dr Dave advises. Other activities such as household chores, outdoor playtime and one-on-one conversations can be much more meaningful. Even if you must resort to screen time, try to watch along with your child and engage them through the process, she adds.

Balancing act

When it comes to the use of technology, especially for adolescents and teens, it's important for parents to step in. "For many teens, developing social connections without the help of a phone has become an alien concept. In schools, we find that children are quicker to express on social media than in the classroom. As educators, we must insist on an equal amount of physical or non-screen discussion. Education and development cannot be completely driven by technology. More physical engagement in the form of sports or even unstructured playtime can encourage the development of a more balanced lifestyle," shares educationist Fatema Agarkar. She adds that parents must also model the behaviour they hope their children will emulate. "If the parent is glued to his/her phone, the child will mirror them. For younger children, at least 10 hours of quality sleep is non-negotiable. To ensure this, parents must set in place a structure or routine that will guide the child's day and curb an indiscriminate use of gadgets," says Agarkar.