As we know, communications technology has evolved rapidly over the past decade. Future and new parents are regularly exposed to the invasion of devices in various areas of their lives. Whether through smartphones, tablets, computers, televisions, or e-books, many people now spend several hours a day in front of screens. While we recognize the undeniable advantages of technology today, we still have a poor understanding of the possible repercussions of parents’ repeated use of it in front of their children aged 0 to 6 on a daily basis.

Several studies are currently underway (INSPQ 2023) on this topic to better understand the phenomenon, and preliminary results already seem to highlight certain findings that lead us to believe that parents’ screen use may affect their parenting practices and have an impact on certain areas of their baby’s development.

It is clear that, nowadays, young babies, even newborns, are increasingly exposed to screens and their potential effects on health and development.

Recommendations

According to the IPQ (Institut statistique du Québec) longitudinal study “Grandir au Québec” (Growing Up in Quebec), one in four babies, aged one year on average, spends an average of one and a half hours per day in front of a screen during the week, and this proportion increases to 35% on weekends. Television is the primary device to which babies are exposed, followed by cell phones.

This is in no way due to ill will or negligence on the part of parents. Often, they are unaware of this situation in their daily lives. Screens are such a part of life today that we don’t really question it; it’s natural, spontaneous, and that’s all there is to it.

Current research data (INSPQ 2023 and National Institute of Statistics 2020-2021) show us that parents who use mobile technologies very often in their daily lives in front of their children can have now identifiable repercussions such as:

• Decreased parental vigilance and, as a result, increased risk of accidents and injuries among young children;
• Parents who are less sensitive and responsive to their child’s presence, which can affect the attachment bond;
• The fact that parents are very focused on their devices makes them less available for interactions with their children and, as a result, less inclined to support them in their learning and play and to encourage them in their development (eating, walking, talking, etc.).

In this regard, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the Quebec government’s health department, the INSPQ and the INQ do NOT recommend any use of screens for children under the age of 2. It is important to remember that a television left on in the background also exposes your baby, even if they are not sitting in front of it.

Safety guidelines given to parents may vary slightly from country to country. Some even recommend that children under the age of 3 should not be exposed to screens at all, and that older children should only use them in moderation.

It is clear that these measures are often very difficult to implement for families who use this technology for work and have children of different ages at home. How can the right balance be found? Good question!

Screens and development

Some time ago, I read a report about a pediatrician who is sounding the alarm about screen use in early childhood. This pediatrician works with a group of health professionals who are calling for urgent research to scientifically document the impact of screens on child development. This group of experts is campaigning vigorously and with conviction, calling for awareness, education, and moderation. In their office health checkups, they are seeing more and more problems in the development of toddlers who are overexposed to screens in their lives.

Learning through modeling

Babies learn by example, imitation, and modeling. They need to discover, test, and explore in order to develop their rapidly growing brains. They are like sponges, absorbing everything that happens in their environment. Parents play an important role as role models in the eyes of their children. It is therefore understandable that if parents make extensive use of various technological devices on a daily basis in front of their children, they will be expected to do the same in the future.

Furthermore, any time a parent spends in front of a screen while their child is nearby is time not spent interacting or engaging in direct activities with them. This ultimately reduces the opportunities for human interaction that are essential for building emotional security in children, which develops most rapidly between the ages of 0 and 4.

Baby and television

From an early age, many babies are placed in front of the television, and they seem to give it their full attention. Parents then interpret this as “he likes spending time watching it.” But this is not true! The baby is attracted by the different lights, colors, and movement. Babies do not learn from devices. Over time, they may repeat things they have seen or heard, but without really understanding the words, their meaning, or their use. They imitate and repeat things automatically, but this is no substitute for human and social interactions, which go much further in promoting the skills necessary for their healthy development.

Some parents may find it surprising to learn that overexposure to screens can be harmful to their children in the long run. For many, the fact that young children are occupied in front of a screen means that they demand less attention from the rest of the family. This can even become a trap for parents, as they quickly develop the reflex to “plug” their children into something so that they can go about their tasks and activities more freely.

According to the INQ, this is the reason given by 19% of parents for exposing their babies to screens. Furthermore, according to recent data from the Institut statistique du Québec’s longitudinal study (INQ 2020-2021, Grandir au Québec), parents also justify their children’s screen use for their enjoyment or entertainment (21%), to promote learning (16%), or to calm them down (approximately 6%).

As for so-called “educational” programs or functions on tablets for young children, they are not recommended before the age of 2. Why? Several health authorities in Quebec emphasize that young children do not benefit from screen exposure in terms of their development, since nothing can replace learning in the real world (playing with toys, interacting with other children or adults, etc.).

Risks of overexposure to screens in children

Pediatric healthcare professionals encounter a variety of health and developmental issues in children on a daily basis. Not all of these issues can be attributed to screen exposure, of course! However, increasingly concrete links are being made between certain health factors and repeated screen exposure.

Here are some examples:

1. Language delays. They often speak, but don’t use the right word for the right thing. If you show them a picture they’ve seen many times on a tablet, they’ll repeat what they see, even if you ask them their name, for example.
2. Greater isolation. Children tend to be more withdrawn when playing on a device. They may become more indifferent to the world around them and play less with others, becoming less sociable. In the long term, there is a risk that they will have difficulty forming social relationships.
3. Temperament. Children who become adept at using technology can become dependent on it and even addicted. If the device is taken away from them, they can become very frustrated and throw a tantrum. The more a child uses screens, the more they want them. Not being connected can become stressful for them over time.
4. Fine motor skills. Some children have more difficulty holding small objects in their hands, such as a pencil for writing or drawing, scissors for cutting, or blocks for stacking. Some kindergarten teachers explain this phenomenon, in part, by the fact that the child has “butterfly hands.” This means that they lack strength, like butterflies, and have difficulty closing their fingers around objects. This tendency is thought to be directly linked to the fact that they are accustomed from a young age to holding a device in their open hand.

It is overexposure to screens that is harmful.

How much screen time is too much?

There is no doubt that children need to play, spend time outdoors, and engage in activities that involve interacting with other children, adults, and their parents. It is also encouraged to offer leisure activities that tap into their creative and artistic sides, such as music, drawing, and crafts, for example. All of these suggestions will fulfill children’s needs to socialize, have fun, and reach their full potential for development.

It’s never too late to reduce screen time and replace it with activities that are beneficial, both physically and emotionally and socially.

Now, for children over the age of 2, it is recommended for them to not be exposed to screens for more than one hour per day in total. In addition, some authors suggest avoiding exposure in the morning upon waking, during meals, before or during bedtime, and not installing a television in the child’s bedroom. This is a basic premise to help parents better manage screen use by adopting a healthy lifestyle in their family’s daily routine. To achieve this, parents must first question their own consumption of various technologies.

This can sometimes strike a nerve with some parents, as they may have to impose limits on themselves if they want to see change in their family. Let’s not forget that children learn by imitation. This might mean that parents only turn on the TV after the kids have gone to bed at night, for example. It means not breastfeeding while holding a cell phone in the other hand, playing with our children instead of watching the tablet right next to them, and keeping the TV turned off most of the time in the house.

The importance of well-established rules

Of course, some families may have several children of different ages. Rules must be clearly established for everyone in order to structure screen use according to age and needs. It is preferable for the father and mother to agree in advance on how to operate and interact with their children. Consistency in interventions and gentle firmness always have their place. It’s like the bedtime routine: when it is well understood, repeated, and established, it is easier to manage afterwards with the limits that have been set.

Preventive measures regarding screen exposure in babies and children are becoming increasingly complex, as usage rates continue to rise in families over time. However, the health community has identified a few preventive measures to consider in order to minimize the harmful effects of screens on children, namely:

• No screens before age 2 (avoid screens in the background too, such as a television left on as background noise)
• Limit screen time and stick to it
• Choose when to use screens
• Supervise and monitor the content consumed

Managing screen time at home is a parental responsibility. It requires well-established, consistent, and constant discipline to ensure that the digital environment promotes a balance appropriate to the age of family members, meeting the needs and interests of everyone.

It is also important to remember that parents are role models for their children, so becoming aware of your own digital habits and improving them can set an inspiring example for children who want to emulate you.

Many parents will undoubtedly feel helpless and overwhelmed when they realize how much screen time they themselves spend and how this affects their children. Where can you start to better manage this bad habit? Don’t hesitate to ask healthcare professionals for help and support in this process.

Ongoing research will help raise awareness and improve understanding of the phenomenon of screen exposure among babies, children, adolescents, and adults in general.

Marie Fortier
The baby expert

Article updated: March 2025.

To continue reading, here are some related articles:

• Language development in children aged 0 to 1 year
• Premature babies and their development
• Motor development in babies

Et des vidéos en lien avec le sujet :

• Motor development from 0 to 12 months with Cynthia Fontaine, physical therapist
• Speech therapy: how to stimulate language development in children up to 1 year old

References :

• https://www.inspq.qc.ca/ecrans-hyperconnectivite

• https://www.inspq.qc.ca/publications/3560

• https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/actualite/actualite-grandir-au-quebec

• https://www.quebec.ca/sante/conseils-et-prevention/saines-habitudes-de-vie/utilisation-saine-des-ecrans-chez-les-jeunes

• Stratégie québécoise sur l’utilisation des écrans et la santé des jeunes 2022-2025