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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Your toddler's screen habits may have longer-lasting effects than you think. A new longitudinal study found that heavier screen use during infancy and around age 6 — when kids start school — was linked to lower academic performance at age 9 and weaker working memory at age 10.5. Researchers say when kids are exposed to screens may matter just as much as how much time they spend on them.
A new longitudinal study tracking 502 children from age 1 through age 8 found that heavier screen use during infancy and around the start of formal schooling was associated with lower academic performance at age 9 and weaker working memory at age 10.5. Published in the World Journal of Pediatrics, the research used data from Singapore's GUSTO birth cohort and measured parent-reported screen time at six different developmental stages.
Interestingly, screen use at ages 2 and 3 showed no significant links to later outcomes — but the associations re-emerged at age 6, coinciding with the transition into formal education. Researchers say this points to specific "sensitive windows" in development when screen habits may carry outsized consequences for learning and memory.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: With many young children already exceeding WHO and AAP screen time guidelines, these findings give clinicians and parents a more nuanced framework — one that highlights infancy and school entry as critical moments to reinforce healthy screen habits.
