Screen time for young children leading to developmental delays

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A new study published by JAMA Pediatrics says there is a link between screen time for babies and developmental delays.

“It's been difficult I think for us. My oldest son is autistic," said Jennifer Contreres, Sahuarita mom of 4. "He tends to gravitate towards tablets and he has set the trend for the rest of our kids."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screen time for younger children in order to prevent developmental delays. KGUN 9 spoke with Dr. Helene from Banner University Medical Center about how long a child should engage in any digital activity.

“You have to be very mindful of the type of screen activities your children are engaging in, but also try to limit it to only one hour a day. Kids under the age of 18 months, really no screen time unless you're doing a video chat with family members or friends," said Dr. Felman.

Dr. Felman says she understands when screen time may be needed, like in a long car ride of a restaurant. She wants to promote stimulating activity like hands-on toys, puzzles and books— both those habits start at home.

“Children look very carefully at adults and look to them to be the example. Parents have to be mindful about how much time they're spending on their phones around their children," said Dr. Felman.

More importantly it's what your child is consuming through the screen that plays a big role. Educational games, videos, puzzles and music is a positive way for younger children to spend time on a screen.

“If we do pull it away ahead of bed time you can see a very visible difference. It makes shutting down for the evening not as much of a fight," said Contreres.

Screens are not going away anytime soon. Health leaders wants to remind parents to figure out what is best for your child when it comes to screen time and how it can impact their life.