The recommended amount of screen time a child should have differs in different countries. This week, the Swedish health authority said any access to screens is unhealthy for young children. In this article we talk about this announcement.
Screen time is taking over our lives, grabbing the attention of adults, teenagers and toddlers. Yet in Sweden, an in-depth analysis has found that while screen time can be beneficial in moderation, it must not be given to toddlers in any amount. Read on as we discuss the warning from the Swedish authorities to its citizens.
The Swedish Guidelines on Screen Time for Children
Children under the age of two years, falling into the toddler category, should not be given any screen time according to information by the Swedish Health Authority. They have also warned that teenagers should have no more than three hours a day.
Screen time is the amount spent using any device that has a screen. This can include mobile phones, tablets, video games, televisions and computers. There has been some concern recently that it is contributing to physical and mental harm in child development, even going so far as to be a major factor in a rise in mental health issues in the young.
This has mirrored a movement that aims to promote self-regulation and awareness of the dangers of screen time. To assist, there has been a growing trend in the download of software such as a blocker app. These can help limit screen time, restricting certain apps after thresholds have been reached. Combined with parental controls, they are part of a trend to move people away from spending too much time on a screen.
Other guidelines from the Folkhälsomyndigheten, which is Sweden’s health authority, have stated two to five-year-olds should only be allowed access for one hour. Six to twelve-year-olds should be given no more than two hours. Going from thirteen to eighteen, the time can be increased to three. This is a huge curb to the previous information provided on screen time, which was four hours a day for nine to twelve-year-olds, and no more than seven hours a day for seventeen to eighteen-year-olds.
The War on Screens
Jakob Forssmed, the Minister of Social Affairs, has declared war on the screen. He stated “For far too long we have allowed screens and apps to steal time and attention at the cost of what we know is needed to feel well. We know that the use of digital media can have negative health effects, including worsened sleep and symptoms of depression.”
He also went on to say that children’s health is paying the price for tech companies‘ profits. One public health investigator, Helena Frielingsdorf, also stated that it was important that parents acted as role models in this field to their children.
Screens Advice Across the Globe
Attitudes to screen time are changing, particularly across Europe. In the United Kingdom, a report was published by the Education Committee in May named Screen Time: Impacts on Education and Wellbeing. It showed that screen time has increased by 52% between 2020 and 2022. It also stated that the patterns are similar to that exhibited by behavioural addiction.
A three-month study in France showed that children should not be allowed to view any screen, even television if they are under three. The study commissioned by Emmanuel Macron also stated that no child under eleven should have a mobile phone. This has led to a trial ban on schools in France for pupils up to the age of fifteen. This has been termed a digital pause. If successful, it will be rolled out further in January.
The United States and Ireland currently recommend no screen time before 18 months of age. There is an exemption if they are video chatting with people they know, such as parents and relatives. Australia and Canada believe this age should be set at two years with no exemptions.
Can Phone Time Have Educational Benefits?
The right amount of screen time can have educational benefits. However, in the early years, particularly the formative ones, it is hard to see how screen time can have a positive impact. As children learn to walk, talk, socialize and navigate the world many worry it will cut them off from these critical skills. A screen can not substitute for this real world.
One study of over 7000 pairs of mothers and children showed that screen time at the age of one year could be associated with developmental delays between the ages of two and four.
However, there are counterarguments that this is an unrealistic expectation. It is argued that this simply shames parents, who may not have a choice but to put a child in front of a screen while they deal with daily tasks under the pressure of increased working hours. However, even this argument comes with the caveat that the real solution may be about balance, instead of an outright ban.
