By Henna Sharma

Copyright thesun

I’M a teacher, and here’s exactly how much time your child should be glued to their devices – broken down by age so you can keep their screen time in check.

From toddlers to teens, too much screen time can affect everything from sleep to social skills.

A recent survey found the average child is spending a whopping 45 hours a week stuck indoors – with more than a third of that time staring at screens.

A quarter of 2,000 parents said their kids show zero interest in outdoor activities, while indoor habits are dominated by passive pastimes like watching TV (59 per cent), gaming (54 per cent), and scrolling on phones (41 per cent).

Excessive screen time, scientists warned, increases the risk of a heart attack, as well as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance among youngsters.

Small tweaks and boundaries now can save you big battles later – and help your child enjoy tech without it taking over their life.

Several recent studies show proven associations between high screen time in preschoolers and increased ADHD and autism symptoms.

But how much screen time is too much? And does it vary depending on their age?

For babies and young children, UK and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines recommend no screen time for those under 18-24 months, and no more than one hour per day for children aged 2-5.

For older children and teenagers (6-17), the NHS suggests a maximum of two hours of recreational screen time per day – excluding homework – ensuring screen time doesn’t replace essential sleep, physical activity, or family time.

Dangers of too much screen time

Digital screens affect healthy eye development for babies and toddlers.

In the first years of life, children undergo a rapid period of growth and development. Their visual system is still forming, and they must learn to see and learn to coordinate their eye movements.

Research showed that children who were exposed to screens before age one were four times more likely to develop myopia by preschool age than kids who were exposed to screens after age three.

And children exposed to screens before age two had double the risk of myopia than those who waited until after age three.

Myopia is an eye condition which causes blurred far vision, also known as short-sightedness or near-sightedness.

Myopia is a significant concern for the quality of life in children and teenagers, and poses a risk to long-term eye health.

Too much screen time may cause sleep problems and affect school performance.

Experts warn that high levels of screen time in young children are strongly associated with poorer emotional self-regulation and more frequent tantrums.

According to UNICEF, constant exposure to screens can impair a child’s ability to control impulses and manage frustration, particularly when screens are used as a way to calm the child rather than teaching coping skills.

Higher screen time is linked to more inattention and hyperactivity, lower language skills, and greater prevalence of ADHD and ASD symptoms – particularly in boys.

Kids may also end up reading less and spending less time with family and friends.

Excessive screen use can mean fewer outdoor activities and less physical exercise, which can contribute to weight issues.

It may also affect mental health, leading to mood swings, poor self-esteem and body image concerns.

OSF HealthCare paediatrician Dr Samina Yousuf said: “Studies are showing links between excessive screen time and various physical and mental health issues in children, such as obesity, depression, behavioural issues and anxiety.

“It also hinders them from getting the recommended amount of sleep each night, which harms them physically and also impacts their performance in the classroom.

“And then when they come home from school, it cuts into the time they should be devoting to homework.”

It also impacts their development of social skills, as she added: “Impatience in real-world interactions is one of the biggest results of excessive screen time.

“You don’t have to be patient with a screen. It’s instant gratification. But you do need patience when you’re talking to someone in person. So, it’s important that children learn to wait, listen and respond.

“This will not only help them when communicating with other kids, but also when playing together, since taking turns with toys is so important.

“All of this lays the foundation for developing healthy relationships and friendships as they grow up.”

Top tips to manage screen time

Improve the quality of screen time for babies and toddlers by engaging your young child during screen time to explain what they are seeing and to ask them questions.

Sit alongside them and repeat new words and draw attention to what is on the screen.

Treat the screen time like you would if reading a picture book with your child – but young children learn best from physical and creative play and social time with family and friends.

Utilise screen time features to manage apps and content, setting up restrictions and monitoring usage.

Check what they watch or play – making sure it’s age-appropriate content.

Educate children about the cybersecurity dangers of screens, including exposure to inappropriate content, online grooming and exploitation and cyberbullying.

Encourage open communication and chat with your kids about what they see online.

Watch out for ads and algorithms, as they can sneakily influence choices, and with the rise of AI, it will only get worse.

No screens for at least two hours before bedtime will help promote better sleep.

Get them moving with screen-free fun: sports, music, art or hobbies.

Lead by example – show healthy screen habits yourself. Children learn from their parents, so it’s important to also set limits and use screens responsibly yourself.

During meal or play times, give your child your full attention and avoid checking your phone by putting it out of reach.

Avoid having the TV on in the background as this can be distracting to children and potentially expose them to distressing images. So, turn the TV off when you’re not actively using it.

Teach online safety and privacy from the start and encourage creative and social use of screens, not just scrolling.

Remember: every child is different. What works for one family might not work for another – so tailor your screen rules to fit your child.

The benefits

A mum-of-two, Kirstie Lewis, went viral on TikTok after sharing her experience after she stopped letting her three-year-old daughter watch TV.

She shared: “The things I’ve noticed are quite severe, in a positive way,” as the tot is now ”nicer” and ”kinder” and “interacting with her sibling way more.”

She added: ”She’s initiating play, she’ll go into her playroom, she’ll be engaged for longer.

“Now, she will stick to a game for a long time. I can walk away and I can have my shower and stuff.

”I still go downstairs thinking ‘No, has she pi**ed up the walls?’ – no, she’s still there drawing or playing. This is huge.

“The tantrums have also practically vanished and are now non-existent.

“If you’re struggling with your toddler’s behaviour, try and cut out some screen time and see what happens.”