Screen time in young children has been linked to differences in how they process sensory stimuli.Photo:Getty
Getty
Screen time before the age of 2 has been linked to “atypical sensory processing” — meaning, how the child responds to physical stimuli differs from what’s considered the normal response for their peers.
Children who were exposed to screen time before 12 months were twice as likely to experience the sensory processing differences, according to a study published Monday in theJournal of the American Medical Association.
“Digital media exposure might be a potential risk factor for the development of atypical sensory profiles,” the study, which followed 1471 children, said.
A new study looked at the impact of television time on how kids process stimuli.Getty
Differences in processing stimuli can be characteristic of a neurological condition called sensory processing disorder (SPD), whichVerywell Healthexplains “affects how your brain processes sensory input.”
“A person with SPD can be more sensitive or less sensitive to sounds, smells, textures, and other stimuli than the average person,” saysVerywell Health. “In children, SPD can look like meltdowns in the grocery store, picky eating, socks that are too lumpy, or chewing on their shirt collar.”
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SPD is not a diagnosis on its own, but often manifests alongside ADHD or autism. And as Dr. Karen Heffler, the study’s lead author, toldABC News, “I’m very interested in any potential factors that could help other families whose children are diagnosed with autism.”
A new study looked at screen time use.Getty
TheAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatryrecommends no screen time for children 18 months and younger, only allowing for video chatting while an adult supervises.
Then, educational programming — while supervised — is recommended until age 2, at which point the AACAP says to “limit non-educational screen time to about 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours on the weekend days.”
“Further research is needed to understand the relationship between screen time and specific sensory-related developmental and behavioral outcomes,” the study concludes, “and whether minimizing early-life exposure can improve subsequent sensory-related outcomes.”
source: people.com
