An international group of researchers followed 400 kids aged one to nine years old and studied their screen time use in infancy. This means screen time from zero to 18 months old.
Researchers found that every hour of increased screen time in infancy was associated with decreased measures of attention and executive functioning at age nine, as reported by Mallika Marshall, MD, an Emmy-award winning journalist and physician, for CBS News Boston on January 30, 2023.
Executive function is a process of higher brain functioning that is involved in goal directed activities, according to Kid Sense. It is th epart of human brains that makes decisions "and direct attention to a range areas in order to be successful in in a more wholsitic goal."
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Children's screen time use in infancy was examined using electrical activity and by collecting information from their parents. Neuropsych testing and teacher parent questionnaires were used to examine their executive functions at nine years old.
"They also found that babies with more screen time showed changes in brain activity associated with difficulties in attention," reports Marshall.
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What is executive function?
Executive functions are mental skills used daily to get things done. In children this allows them to get dressed in the morning, keep track of homework, or tackle big projects. Executive functionis what humans use to set goals, prioritize tasks, organize projects, and manage time, as reported by Child Mind Institute.
In organizations, executive functions can be likened to a company's executive who plans how resources will be used, what will be prioritized, and decides that direction to take, explains Kid Sense.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends zero screen time for children zero to 18 months old and no more than an hour per day for children two to five years old.
Activities for your 6 to 18 month old for their executive function skills
Here are six activities Harvard Education's Center for Developing Child suggest to do with your baby:
- Lap games for younger infants like peekaboo
- Hiding games to challenge working memory. Hide objects when kids are young and as they grow older they will enjoy hiding thmemselves.
- Imitation or copying games
- Simple role play
- Fingerplays or songs and chants with simple hand gestures
- Conversations to build attention, working memory, and self-control
Read this story for two-year-old milestones.
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