S.+Screen+Time

There is a lot of talk these days about how much screen time youth should be exposed to. In a nutshell, the amount quoted by many sources is:

For youth 5-17 yrs old, recreation screen time should be limited to 2 hours. This includes all types: computers, video games, movies, TV, social media, texting.

For children 0-4 years old no screen time is recommended.

Why the limit on screen time? Growing research is siting that the negative effects can include:


 * Too much screen time is linked to reduced academic achievement
 * Children with over 2 hours of screen time each day are twice as likely to become overweight/obese
 * Studies have shown connections to lack of restorative sleep. Adequate sleep is a proven protective factor for mental health and overall health in youth.
 * Contribute to an increase in impulsiveness & moodiness
 * Increase inability to pay attention
 * Excessive screen time appears to impair brain structure and function! (see psychology today article below.

See links below for more information about the effects of screen time.

ParticipACTION - [|Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children 0-4 years] ParticipACTION - [|Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children 5-11 years] ParticipACTION - [|Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children 12-17years]

Psychology Today Article: [|Too much screen time damages the brain]

US National Library of Medicine: [|Screen Time and Children]

ParticipACTION: [|Screen time is taking away play time]

CTV News: [|Are children's screen time guidelines out of touch?]

Screen Smart: [|http://www.screensmart.ca]

McCreary Kootenay Boundary 2013 Adolescent Health Survey results. Pages 45 & 46 are specific to finding around technology use.