BY AMY DRUMM, M.D.
In an era when access to media is ubiquitous, it is difficult to control the hours our children spend in front of a screen. Excessive and improper media use has been linked to obesity, fewer hours of sleep, developmental delays, and more parent-child conflict. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently announced new recommendations and resources, including an interactive, online tool for families to create a personalized Family Media Use Plan.
The AAP’s new guidelines, released in October 2016, allow for some screen time for children younger than 2 and emphasize parental involvement for all kids. In a nutshell:
• Avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting for children younger than 18 months.
• If you choose to introduce media to children 18-24 months, find high-quality programming and co-view and co-play.
• Limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs for children age 2 to 5 years.
The AAP recommends that parents and caregivers develop a family media plan that takes into account the health, education and entertainment needs of each child as well as the whole family. There really is no magic number that’s “just right.” What’s more important is the quality of kids’ media, how it fits into your family’s lifestyle, and how you engage your kids with it.
To ensure quality screen time, consider these tips:
• Preview programs, games and apps before allowing your child to view or play with them.
• Seek out interactive options that engage your child, rather than those that just require pushing and swiping or staring at the screen.
• Use parental controls to block or filter Internet content.
• Make sure your child is close by during screen time so that you can supervise his or her activities.
• Ask your child regularly what programs, games and apps he or she has played with during the day.
• Play a video game or explore a new app with your child.
• When watching programming with your child, discuss what you’re watching and educate him or her about advertising and commercials.
Remember that at some point your child will be exposed to content that you haven’t approved beforehand and devices without Internet filters. Talk to your child about the possible situations that could come up and the behavior you expect.
All children and teens need adequate sleep (8-12 hours, depending on age), physical activity (1 hour), and time away from media. Designate media-free times together (e.g., family dinner) and media-free zones (e.g., bedrooms). Children should not sleep with devices in their bedrooms, including TVs, computers, and smartphones.
To access the Family Media Use Plan, visit https://www.healthychildren.org/MediaUsePlan. To learn more, contact your local pediatrician or family medicine provider. Need help finding the right doctor? Contact the Center for Community Health at (208) 727-8733.
Amy Drumm is a doctor at St. Luke’s Wood River Family Medicine. For more information, call (208) 788-3434.
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