Ground-breaking look at the impact of screen time on kids' brains

Summary

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital are studying how screen exposure and other risk factors may relate to children’s brain development. The Early Prediction Study, which began in 2019, follows 395 children, including babies born prematurely.

Study method

Researchers take detailed MRI scans and compare children’s later brain images with scans taken shortly after birth. One five-year-old participant, Rose, completed a roughly 45-minute scan while watching a movie and listening through headphones.

What the research suggests so far

Studies by Dr. John Hutton have found associations between higher screen time and weaker development in brain areas related to reading, language, and decision-making. The report presents these as associations, not proof that screen use causes the differences.

Advice discussed

Experts interviewed recommended avoiding screens before age three and cautioned that the benefits of supposedly educational screen content are not yet clear. They encouraged parents to:

• Model the behavior they want children to adopt.
• Put phones away when a child needs attention.
• Favor shared activities, such as reading and playing, that invite conversation and back-and-forth interaction.

School screen use

Parents can ask teachers and school leaders how much classroom screen time children receive and whether some activities could use books or paper instead. The report notes that schools’ use of screens increased during remote learning and that children may encounter screens in testing.

Researchers and sources featured

• Dr. Nehal Parikh — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital researcher leading the study. The subtitle’s rendering of the name is unclear.
• Dr. John Hutton — Researcher who has published studies on screen time and child development.
• Rose, Emily, and Harry Kreimer — Child participant and her parents, interviewed about taking part in the study and screen use.
• Vicky Nguyen — NBC correspondent reporting on the study.