In today's tech-oriented world, the effects of increased screen time on children's health is a concern that may befall many parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids under 5 spend less than 1 hour a day using screens, but many children are spending double or even triple that amount of time staring at a screen. To shed further light on the matter, MyVision.org has conducted a new survey, asking nearly 1,000 parents and caretakers about screen time and their children.
According to respondents, adults are giving their children different tech devices at a younger and younger age. Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) have let kids play with tech when they’re 1 year or younger. Nearly 3 in 4 (74%) parents have given devices to their children by the time they turn 5.
Screen time is a major concern among parents and caretakers. Almost 70% of parents say their kid’s screen use has increased since 2020, and more than 1 in 10 believe screen time will continue to grow over the next year. But kids aren’t the only ones spending more time staring at screens -- nearly 3 out of 5 (59%) adults recognize that their own screen time has increased since 2020, and this can negatively influence their children.
In terms of eye health, nearly 1 out of 5 (17%) have bought blue light glasses for their kids, but 29% admit they do not take their kids to the eye doctor regularly. More than 1 in 10 believe their kid’s vision has gotten worse since the onset of the pandemic, and 9% of kids have gotten a glasses or contacts prescription since March 2020.
Read the full study from MyVision.org to learn more about the study findings, as well as helpful guidelines from doctors and experts.