Screen time and early development: what the evidence says

Almost every parent asks the same questions: what happens if my child sees a screen? Why was one sibling affected and not the other? Until what age should we avoid screens? The honest answer is that it isn't the same for every child — brains develop differently, and so do the effects of early screen exposure.

The 'video deficit'

Research shows that children under two cannot reliably tell the difference between information given by a real person and the same information on a screen — this is called the 'video deficit'. Children learn better, and remember longer, from a live person than from a video. A baby who can't yet separate real life from a screen image can't notice the important details or protect themselves from a fast, hypnotic stream of images.

Because screens are one-way, they don't respond to the sounds or actions a baby makes. Over time this can blunt the imitation skills that drive natural learning, and heavy early exposure has been associated with attention and social difficulties and with repetitive, self-soothing behaviours.

What age, and how?

Screens can have educational value, but it depends heavily on content, the child's age, the duration, and whether a parent watches alongside. The ability to learn from a screen starts to emerge slowly after about 18–24 months.

• Aim for no screens until at least 24 months
• For children with developmental delay or at developmental risk, avoid screens until the risk has passed
• After 24 months: choose content carefully, watch together, and keep it to about 15–20 minutes
• Talk through what's on screen — who, what, where, when, why

Don't use screens as a reward

"My child won't eat or sleep without a screen" is often a parent habit before it is a child's. Reach for books, play, and interaction at mealtimes, before sleep, and on journeys instead. The more you connect through play, the less a screen is needed — and the stronger your communication bond becomes.