Allowing very young children to access televisions and other screens could lead to sensory challenges for them later in childhood, according to a new study from Drexel University in Pennsylvania.
The study, “Early-Life Digital Media Experiences and Development of Atypical Sensory Processing,” was published on Jan. 8 in JAMA Pediatrics.
“This study finds an association between greater screen time in the first two years of life and ‘high’ sensory-related behaviors in areas,” the study’s lead author, Karen Heffler, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at Drexel University, told Fox News Digital.
It does not specify an hourly limit for ages 6 and older but does recommend encouraging healthy habits and limiting screen-based activities.
“To be honest and point-blank, the least amount of screen time is healthy for children,” Dr. Zeyad Baker, a pediatric physician with Baker Health in New Jersey, previously told Fox News Digital.
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However, he noted that it gets trickier for parents to moderate when kids need to do homework online, and he said the quality of screen time comes into play when setting limits.
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Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
