Screens Are Harming Children, Psychologist Says

Parents who let their children watch screens too much are "neglecting" them, according to a psychologist.

Dr Aric Sigman said parents should restrict "screen time" much like salt intake, or they would risk "benign neglect".

Speaking at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s annual conference in Glasgow later today, Dr Sigman will argue that excessive screen use is linked to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease and may even be changing children’s brains as they develop.

Brain scanning tests have shown that there are differences between the brains of gamers and non-gamers – but scientists do not know for sure yet whether these differences occur as a direct result of spending time in front of a screen.

Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott, joined her voice to Dr Sigman’s calls.

She said: "By 2025, nearly half of men and over a third of women will be obese, so we've got to start helping and empowering parents to do the right thing."

Dr Sigman will say today that children have access to an average of five screens in the home and often use more than one at once.

He said: "Whether children or adults are formally 'addicted' to screen technology or not, many of them overuse technology and have developed an unhealthy dependency on it."

He believes toddlers should spend little or no time watching screens up to the age of three, then four-seven year-olds should have a maximum of one and a half hours, while children older than seven but younger than 18 should not be allowed to use screens for more than two hours a day.

A Department of Health spokesman said under-fives should spend as little time sitting still as possible and parents should encourage children to be physically active.

(NE)