Screen Time Affects Toddlers' Problem-Solving Skills

Toddlers who spend too much time in front of televisions, tablets and smartphones may not become as skilled at problem-solving as their peers who have less screen time. (Reuters)
Toddlers who spend too much time in front of televisions, tablets and smartphones may not become as skilled at problem-solving as their peers who have less screen time. (Reuters)
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Screen Time Affects Toddlers' Problem-Solving Skills

Toddlers who spend too much time in front of televisions, tablets and smartphones may not become as skilled at problem-solving as their peers who have less screen time. (Reuters)
Toddlers who spend too much time in front of televisions, tablets and smartphones may not become as skilled at problem-solving as their peers who have less screen time. (Reuters)

A new study found that toddlers who spend too much time in front of televisions, tablets and smartphones may not become as skilled at problem-solving, communication and other skills needed for school as their peers who have less screen time.

According to Reuters, children in the study had an average of 17 hours of screen time a week when they were two years old, and 25 hours a week by the time they were three. This far exceeds one-hour daily limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to allow children enough time for creative play and interactions with caregivers and peers.

Lead study author Sheri Madigan of the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Canada: "Screen time is most often a sedentary or passive behavior, with very few learning opportunities."

Part of the problem is that toddlers’ brains aren’t developed enough to apply things they learn from screens to what they experience in life, she explained by email.

"If they see someone building blocks on the screen, this doesn’t help them build blocks in real life,” Madigan said.

Another reason screen time can slow development is that the hours passed in front of televisions and tablets mean kids may miss out on chances to scribble with crayons or play games that help them learn how to kick a ball.

"These are critical skills in early childhood, because mastery of skill is needed before further development can occur. You need to walk before you can run, and you need to know how to hold a crayon before you can write your name," Madigan said.

For the study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers surveyed 2,441 mothers in Canada about how much time their kids spent on typical weekdays and weekends watching television, movies or videos; playing video games; or using computers, tablets or other devices like smartphones.

Suzy Tomopoulos of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in New York, who wasn’t involved in the study, said: "Parents can minimize risks if screen time is child-appropriate, has educational content, and viewed together with the child.”

“Parents should also turn off the television when no one is watching, during mealtimes and one hour before bedtime."



Australian Hiker Found Alive after Surviving for Two Weeks on Berries and Muesli Bars

A general view of Cooma Hospital where hiker Hadi Nazari was transferred to for a health check in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, 08 January 2025. (EPA)
A general view of Cooma Hospital where hiker Hadi Nazari was transferred to for a health check in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, 08 January 2025. (EPA)
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Australian Hiker Found Alive after Surviving for Two Weeks on Berries and Muesli Bars

A general view of Cooma Hospital where hiker Hadi Nazari was transferred to for a health check in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, 08 January 2025. (EPA)
A general view of Cooma Hospital where hiker Hadi Nazari was transferred to for a health check in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, 08 January 2025. (EPA)

An Australian student missing for two weeks near the country's tallest mountain was found on Wednesday, after surviving by foraging for berries, drinking water from a creek and finding two muesli bars left behind by other hikers, police said.

Hadi Nazari, a 23-year-old university student from Melbourne, went missing from his group of friends on December 26 in the Kosciuszko National Park.

Nazari was found on Wednesday afternoon by a group of hikers who alerted the authorities, police in the state of New South Wales said.

“This is the fourteenth day we've been looking for him and for him to come out and be in such good spirits and in such great condition, it’s incredible," NSW Police Inspector Josh Broadfoot said.

The student was in "really good spirits" with no significant injuries, he added.

More than 300 people had searched for Nazari across rugged bushland, police said. The national park is home to the 2,228 meter (7,310 foot) Mount Kosciuszko.