Influence of Screen Time in Infancy/Toddlerhood and Early Childhood

Screen time, the amount of time spent interacting with television, computers, mobile devices, and video games, is a concern for many parents in industrialized nations. “Average screen time increases from 55 minutes per day at 6 months to just under 1 ½ hours per day at age 2” (Berk, 2022). The overwhelming majority of young children in the industrialized world (over 90 percent) have access to a television, computer and one or more mobile devices, usually smartphones but also tablets, with access to the Internet (Berk, 2022). Although there can be educational benefits to children learning through screen media, research has also demonstrated that excessive screen time can interfere with a child’s development, including cognitive skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and communication.

please respond to the following:

With screens having a pervasive presence in our day-to-day lives, what advice would you give the typical U.S. parent about their infant or toddler’s screen time?

What are the pros and cons of young children’s (ages 2–6 years) exposure to screen media (television, computers, mobile devices, and video games)?

How are cognitive skills such as memorization or critical thinking affected by our ability to gather facts at the click of a button?
Would you expect to see cultural differences in the impact of screen time on development? Explain your answer.