Chandigarh: Introducing toddlers to digital screens before 18 months of age is linked to higher chances of delays in their motor and social development, according to a study published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics. The study was conducted by Drs Bhavneet Bharti, Prahbhjot Malhi et al from the PGIMER.Researchers studied 140 healthy children between 18 and 24 months old at a Mohali’s government medical college hospital outpatient department, excluding any toddlers with malnutrition, neurological conditions, or pre-existing developmental delays. The findings revealed that children were first exposed to screens at an average age of 17.5 months, with 68% starting screen use before reaching 18 months. On weekdays, nearly 29% of toddlers spent more than an hour on screens, and that number grew to 36% on weekends. The study also observed that weekday screen time was higher among lower-income families.“Early childhood is a critical period of rapid neurodevelopment, yet rising digital screen exposure threatens this foundational phase,” said Dr Bhavneet.The study found a strong connection between early screen use and specific developmental milestones. Toddlers exposed to screens at or before 18 months had more than double the odds of abnormal gross motor development, which affects physical movement skills. Furthermore, early screen exposure increased the odds of abnormal personal-social development by nearly eight times. Conversely, children who kept weekday screen time to one hour or less showed significantly better communication and problem-solving skills.Parents whose children had less than an hour of weekend screen time were also found to be more actively involved in supporting their child’s development. As a result, the researchers recommend delaying screen exposure until a child is at least 18 months old, limiting daily screen time to one hour or less, and encouraging stronger daily interaction between caregivers and children.RecommendationsBased on these results, the researchers recommend:Delaying screen exposure until children are at least 18 months old.Limiting daily screen media time to no more than 1 hour.Enhancing caregiver-child interactions, with targeted support for fathers and lower socioeconomic families.Implementing routine developmental screening alongside culturally relevant counseling in Indian pediatric practices.
