PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Over the past year, children and teenagers have been spending an extraordinary amount of time in front of screens. One expert explained not all screen time is created equal.
The pandemic has heightened the reliance on digital devices.
"Having so much more downtime and time that’s not devoted to the activities that we normally engaged in before, it’s been filled by most families and by kids specifically with screen time," said Dr. Jason Lewis, licensed clinical psychologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
He said that has many parents worried.
"There’s a well-documented link between childhood screen time and obesity. We certainly know that it affects sleep and school performance. We also know about concerns related to cyberbullying and privacy issues,' he said.
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But Lewis pointed out that the quality of the screen time is more important than the quantity of screen time.
"It can have pretty significant benefits for learning, for creativity, for social outlet. It's really about just making sure that we’re diversifying the ways that we use electronics," he said.
That includes limiting time on video games, because Lewis says they can be addictive to some kids. "I think it depends on sort of temperament and personality and some other sort of biological factors," he said.
If your child isn't interested in activities other than screen time, or gets very angry over time limits, it's recommended you talk to their pediatrician, as they might have a problem.