New WHO Guidelines On Screen Time: Zip For Infants Under One, One Hour Max For Kids Under Five
In addition to setting harsh guidelines on how much time children spend on devices, the United Nations' agency recommends high-quality programming and includes advice on physical activity and sleep. Pediatrician groups have previously expressed concerns on the issue, some differing from WHO's.
The New York Times:
W.H.O. Says Limited Or No Screen Time For Children Under 5
In a new set of guidelines, the World Health Organization said that infants under 1 year old should not be exposed to electronic screens and that children between the ages of 2 and 4 should not have more than one hour of “sedentary screen time” each day. Limiting, and in some cases eliminating, screen time for children under the age of 5 will result in healthier adults, the organization, a United Nations health agency, announced on Wednesday. (Rueb, 4/24)
The Associated Press:
UN: No Screen Time For Babies; Only 1 Hour For Kids Under 5
The guidelines are somewhat similar to advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. That group recommends children younger than 18 months should avoid screens other than video chats. It says parents of young children under two should choose "high-quality programming" with educational value and that can be watched with a parent to help kids understand what they're seeing. Some groups said WHO's screen time guidelines failed to consider the potential benefits of digital media. (4/24)
The Washington Post:
World Health Officials Take A Hard Line On Screen Time For Kids. Will Busy Parents Comply?
The WHO drew on emerging — but as yet unsettled — science about the risks screens pose to the development of young minds at a time when surveys show children are spending increasing amounts of time watching smartphones and other mobile devices. Ninety-five percent of families with children under the age of 8 have smartphones, according to the nonprofit organization Common Sense Media, and 42 percent of children under 8 have access to their own tablet device. (Timberg and Siegel, 4/24)
