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The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children should avoid screens until they are at least 18 months old. “Children don’t learn as well from two-dimensional images,” said Fadiyla Dopwell, M.D., a board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrician at Pediatrix® Neonatology of Texas. If a baby is watching a screen, there’s not much processing or learning happening in their brain, especially when they are under 2, explained Dr. Dopwell. Research has shown that screen time during the first years of a child’s life seems to be associated with weakened executive functioning when they reach elementary school age. Executive functioning is the ability to stay focused, plan, organize and self-regulate their emotions and behaviors, according to Dr. Dopwell. While it’s impossible to avoid exposing your baby to screens completely, she cautioned against binge-watching videos or shows while your baby is in the same room. “They’re constantly being stimulated by all of the noise, even if they’re not engaging with the show or not turning to it consistently.”
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