Khaberni - The British government has warned that excessive use of screens can harm young children's ability to speak, and contribute to difficulties related to communication, concentration, and engagement in learning, according to a recent report by The Guardian.
This warning follows governmental research that included 4,758 children, monitored from the age of 9 months up to two years. It showed that two-year-olds who spend about five hours a day in front of screens may suffer from behavioral or emotional problems and speak significantly fewer words compared to their peers who spend about 44 minutes a day.
In this context, the British Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that parents and teachers have warned that excessive screen use overshadows basic activities such as talking, playing, and reading, which are crucial for children's language development and growth in the early years. Phillipson urged for the wise use of screens by using them to share stories or educational games with children.
The study showed that interactive parenting activities, such as storytelling, joint play, drawing, and coloring, are closely associated with improvements in early language skills in young children, while children who spend more time in front of screens score lower on vocabulary tests.
The Guardian also mentioned the World Health Organization's recommendation that screen use should not exceed one hour a day for children between two and four years old.
Children are more susceptible to screen effects than adults
Dr. Samir Shah, a consultant in psychiatry and medical director at a mental health hospital in Birmingham, explained to The Independent that children's brains "are like sponges, absorbing experiences at an amazing rate." Considering that the major growth phases, particularly before the age of five and during the pre-teen years, experience the fastest brain development, excessive screen use during these stages can have long-term effects that surpass those in adults.
Cognitive neuroscience professor Torkel Klingberg agrees, adding that the development of cognitive abilities during childhood and adolescence is critically important, as these periods are characterized by a high degree of neural plasticity, a fundamental element for learning and cognitive performance in adulthood.
5 ways screens may impact your child's brain
Experts warn that excessive use of screens among young children and teenagers can lead to multiple cognitive effects, notably:
Impact on attention and concentration
Professor Klingberg says that in August 2025, a large-scale study involving more than 8,000 children aged 10 to 14 was published, monitoring the time they spend using social media, playing electronic games, or watching TV. The results showed that the time spent on social media in particular is associated with an increase in symptoms of attention deficit.
Study participants reported issues such as difficulty concentrating for extended periods, easy distractibility, and difficulty completing school assignments, indicators that are concerning for the long-term cognitive effects of excessive screen use.
Negative impact on mood and mental health
Research published in 2023 suggests that children and teenagers who spend more than 4 hours a day in front of screens are more prone to high levels of anxiety and depression. Dr. Samir Shah explains that continuous exposure to digital screens can put young minds in a state of hyper-stimulation due to elevated dopamine levels, but without achieving true emotional satisfaction.
Shah adds that children who spend prolonged periods in front of screens may struggle to manage frustration and outbursts, negatively affecting their ability to understand social cues. He emphasizes that reduced direct, face-to-face interaction means fewer opportunities to practice essential social skills, such as empathy and conflict resolution, skills that are primarily developed through daily human contact.
Sleep deprivation
Neuroscience professor Torkel Klingberg warns that the excessive use of screens and social media can overshadow time set aside for necessary activities, such as exercise, social interactions, and importantly, sleep. Numerous studies indicate that sleep is a fundamental element for mental health and cognitive performance, especially in children during the early brain development stages.
Klingberg explains that lack of sleep can negatively affect long-term memory, attention, and working memory, directly influencing a child's learning ability, information organization, and daily behavior regulation.
Impact on problem-solving skills and memory
Klingberg explains that the constant distraction from long internet use deprives children of the ability to focus for sufficient periods and reduces their exposure to cognitive challenges necessary to stimulate their mental growth, especially in areas of attention and working memory.
He adds that working memory is not a fixed ability but a skill that can be developed through training, making reducing social media use a significant part of the solution. He recommends directing children toward activities requiring deeper concentration, such as reading, doing schoolwork, or non-digital educational games, as these support cognitive development over the long term.
Difficulty maintaining social relationships
Dr. Samir Shah explains that the regular use of screens stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness, creating a vicious cycle of the desire to spend more time in front of the screen, in the hope of repeating the same feeling. Shah likens this behavior to repeatedly checking the door, "hoping for a special visitor."
Over time, children and teenagers may feel that real-world activities are less satisfying compared to the world of screens, which may lead to difficulties in forming or maintaining meaningful social relationships. Shah confirms that the increasing reliance on digital interaction reduces opportunities for direct human contact, necessary for developing social and emotional skills.
3 tips for reducing children's screen use
A survey conducted by a children's hospital affiliated with the University of Michigan in 2025 showed that "the majority of parents (83%) believe that the mental health of children in the United States is deteriorating"; and three-quarters of the participants stated that the use of social media and electronic devices in general, "represents a major problem facing children and teenagers". According to the "CNBC" website, Catherine Price, a journalist specializing in health and science, agrees with the parents' views, stating "every minute children spend in front of screens is a minute they miss out on developing their life skills, building their relationships, and experiencing real-world experiences."
Price, who recently collaborated with Jonathan Haidt, author of the book "The Anxious Generation"; to write a book about screen and social media use in pre-teen children, titled "The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a World Full of Screens"; presented three suggestions for parents to limit their children's screen use, which are:
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Setting a good example for your children to follow
Price says that experts agree that setting a good example in adhering to the behavior you want your children to follow is "the key" in shaping their characters, and helping them to limit their screen time; even if it means asking your children to hold you accountable for using your phone or computer for long periods.
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Prefer shared family phones
Instead of giving each child their own phone, Price suggests using a family phone that children use after school or when visiting friends, where "they take it, use it, then return it". Or prioritize the home landline phone; to help children develop communication skills, and encourage them to check on their grandparents or chat with their friends.
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Let children pay for their smartphones themselves
According to a recommendation by Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, "cost is one of the factors that encourage delaying the purchase of smartphones for children until they are at least 16 years old."
If you want to delay your children's acquisition of a smartphone for an even longer period, you can tell them they need to pay for their smartphones themselves.
Twenge says: "If they realize they are financially responsible for that, they are likely not to get them until they are 25, in addition to teaching them important lessons about working hard to achieve goals."
