Television, smartphones, video games, tablets, social media – there's no shortage of opportunities to spend several hours in front of screens.
According to data from Santé publique France, relayed by the Ministry of Health, children aged 6 to 17 spend an average of 4 hours in front of screens.
Beyond the dangers of online content (violence, child sexual abuse, money, etc.), the problem also stems from the duration, frequency, and way screens integrate into children's lives.
Now a public health concern, overexposure to screens among young people is the subject of an ambitious state strategy, which aims to inform families about the risks and support them in adapting their usage.
The report "Children and Screens: In Search of Lost Time," published in 2024 at the request of the President of the Republic, presents a striking observation: screen use among children is daily, increasingly early, of growing duration, and marked by social inequalities.
However, excessive screen consumption can interfere with a child's development, particularly concerning sleep, social interactions, language, eyesight, and physical activity.
What are the physical and psychological health risks for your children? How can you find a better balance and limit screen time at home? Bloon answers your questions.
When do we talk about overexposure to screens?
Calculating daily screen time
It is difficult to define a threshold beyond which screen consumption becomes excessive.
The governmental website jeprotegemonenfant invites families to supervise screen use according to the child's age:
- Before 3 years old: no screens
- Between 3 and 6 years old: maximum 30 minutes. Exceptional and supervised use by an adult is possible, but must be limited exclusively to educational content.
- From 6 years old: 1 to 1.5 hours per day. Gradually support the child's autonomy with screens. Monitor content and duration of use.
- During adolescence: maximum 2 hours. Regulate screen use by setting protective limits.
The Institut des hautes études de l’éducation et de la formation (IH2EF) reminds us that it is more important to protect than to control one's child regarding excessive screen consumption.
What are the signs of screen dependency and addiction?
The concepts of screen dependency and addiction have entered common language. However, there is no (yet?) scientifically recognized diagnosis.
Nevertheless, several signs can help you recognize screen dependency in your child or teenager:
The Collectif Surexpositions Écrans lists the following among the symptoms of screen addiction:
- Withdrawal, lack of social interaction, and progressive isolation
- Repeated requests for screen access
- Violent reactions when the screen is removed
- Sleep disturbances and difficulty falling asleep
- Loss of interest in other activities
- Difficulty concentrating at school
- Decline in academic results
- Difficulty doing homework
If screen use becomes truly problematic and disrupts family life, a healthcare professional can help improve the situation.
What are the physical and postural consequences of overexposure to screens in children and adolescents?
The real hidden danger: immobility and sedentariness
The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day for children aged 5 to 17.
However, between video games, smartphones, computers, and television, time spent in front of screens increases, and with it, immobility, to the detriment of more active games. Recent estimates show that 81% of adolescents do not meet WHO recommendations.
Even with an hour of daily sport, children spend long static periods sitting or lying down.
The problem with this increased sedentary lifestyle is that children's physical condition has deteriorated over decades. The French Federation of Cardiology notes that in 40 years, children have lost 25% of their cardiovascular capacity.
Musculoskeletal disorders: when the back and neck suffer
Spending long periods in front of a screen is often synonymous with poor posture. Slumped on a sofa in front of the television, sprawled in bed on their smartphone, sitting statically in front of their computer screen... teenagers accumulate muscle tension.
In the long run, pain (neck pain, headaches...) can appear, as well as musculoskeletal disorders (low back pain, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome...).
Excessive screen consumption among young people leads to a postural disorder called Tech-Neck. This is cervicalgia caused by prolonged static posture: head tilted forward and rounded back.
Eye strain, dry eyes, and headaches
If your child or teenager spends too much time on their phone or computer, they may experience eye strain, which manifests as various symptoms:
- Dry eyes
- Headaches
- Vision problems
- Stinging eyes
The blue light emitted by most devices is partly responsible for eye fatigue, but staring at the same point and maintaining visual attention are also contributing factors.
Let's remember that a child's eye develops until the age of 16. Researchers do not rule out a correlation between increasing screen exposure and the rise in cases of myopia.
Hence the importance of natural light and outdoor play for eye maturation.
Lack of sleep and disruption of falling asleep
Prolonged exposure to the blue light from screens, rapid image scrolling, and stimulating sounds promote wakefulness and shift the melatonin peak, the sleep hormone that helps regulate the circadian cycle.
Moreover, without parental regulation, adolescents can spend hours "scrolling" on their smartphones without even realizing it and fall asleep late.
It's no surprise, then, that the National Institute for Vigilance and Sleep links children's screen viewing before bedtime to lack of sleep. A 2022 survey showed that children who spent more than an hour on screens between 5 PM and 8 PM went to bed later.
Risk of overweight and obesity
When a child spends a lot of time on screens, they tend to snack. Physical inactivity, combined with an unbalanced diet, increases the risk of overweight and obesity.
The latest national epidemiological survey on overweight and obesity, Obépi-Roche (2020), reveals that 21% of 8-17 year olds are overweight, including 6% who are obese. Among 2-7 year olds, overweight and obesity are on the rise.
Inserm has demonstrated that a lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle during childhood are determining factors in the risk of obesity.
What is the impact of screens on cognitive and psychological development?
Excessive screen use reduces the time dedicated to other activities (playing, running, interacting with others...), which are essential for the development of younger children.
These interferences caused by screens, now referred to as technoferences, can have a detrimental impact on cognitive functions. In younger children, this translates into language delays, and in older children, into attention difficulties in class. Overexposure to screens can also harm motor development, social skills, and children's emotional self-regulation.
According to the Collectif Surexposition Écrans, 96% of teachers observe developmental delays in children overexposed to screens.
Cognitive disorders: decreased attention and concentration
Screens offer varied and entertaining content that stimulates children's "exogenous" or automatic attention. Nevertheless, this overstimulation can come at the expense of "endogenous" or voluntary attention, which is essential for concentrating at school and listening in class.
A recent study shows a tendency towards attention deficit in children most exposed to screens.
Potential delay in language acquisition
For very young children, interactions with adults are essential for language acquisition. However, the time spent in front of screens reduces these moments of sharing with those around them.
According to a French study, children who watch television before school in the morning are 3 times more likely to experience language disorders. The risk is multiplied by 6 if the child rarely discusses screen content with their parents.
Impairment of gross and fine motor skills
Children's motor development comes through various games that allow them to move, explore, and manipulate. Early screen exposure can interfere with these essential moments for the acquisition of gross and fine motor skills.
Risk of dependency and social isolation
Extensive screen use can lead to social isolation and withdrawal.
Some adolescents become completely immersed in virtual worlds through video games, to the point of preferring this imaginary life and the avatar they have created for themselves there, rather than their real lives.
Poor control of moods and emotions
A child or adolescent overexposed to screens may have more difficulty regulating their emotions.
If screen use significantly reduces social interactions, causes sleep disturbances, and minimizes physical activity, irritability and mood swings can also result.
For younger children, if the screen is used as a means of entertainment or to calm down, they will miss opportunities to learn how to occupy themselves and manage their emotions.
Predisposition to depression
The government report warns about excessive screen use, especially social media, and the risks it poses for vulnerable adolescents.
According to a Public Health France survey (2024) on youth mental health, half of them report psychological complaints (nervousness, irritability, low mood). The relationship between screens and depression is complex to study, but excessive use is a factor that further weakens the psychological well-being of adolescents.
EPEE Syndrome and early screen exposure
Overexposure to screens in very young children causes neurodevelopmental disorders. The EPEE (Early and Excessive Screen Exposure) syndrome describes this phenomenon, characterized by the following symptoms:
- Language delay
- Exclusive interest in screens
- Relational disorders
- High agitation and attention difficulties
Beyond the effects on children's physical health, excessive screen consumption also proves detrimental to the mental health of younger individuals.
How to manage screen time according to children's age?
Given the duration of children's screen exposure, it is important to take action. However, it can be difficult for parents to regulate screen use.
This is why public authorities, with the help of healthcare professionals, have implemented prevention and information campaigns on the risks of excess screen time and are educating families about best practices to adopt.
Understanding and Applying the 3-6-9-12 Rule
To define screen time for children, the AFPA (French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics) recommends following a strategy advocated by experts, which refers to children's attention spans based on their age:
- From 3 to 6 years: 20 minutes
- From 6 to 8 years: 30 minutes
- From 8 to 10 years: 45 minutes
- After 10 years: 1 hour
Psychologist Serge Tisseron developed the 3-6-9-12 rule, which summarizes the recommendations of health professionals as follows:
- Before 3 years: no screens
- Before 6 years: no personal game console
- From 9 years: supervised introduction to the internet and gradual preparation for digital autonomy. No unsupervised internet before 12 years.
- After 12 years: autonomous but cautious use, with targeted screen times and sharing rules.
Before 3 years: zero screens
Screens should be avoided before the age of 3. Toddlers need to explore their environment to develop their sensory and motor skills.
From 3 to 6 years: supervise and limit
Screen use for children aged 3 to 6 should take place within a structured framework and always be accompanied by an adult.
At this age, it is important to limit screen time per child and encourage other activities (games, social interactions, sensory stimulation, etc.) to promote their development.
From 6 to 9 years: guiding towards autonomy
From 6 to 9 years old, children can gradually familiarize themselves with digital tools, without accessing social media and always accompanied by a parent. For example, they can listen to podcasts or music, take photos with a smartphone, or do internet research for a school project.
From 12 years: autonomous but monitored internet access
Adolescents are fond of social networks and online content. However, the law of July 7, 2023 sets the digital age of majority at 15 for registering on platforms.
Even after 15, the risks are numerous: hateful speech, violence, pornography, child sexual abuse, cyberbullying.
The role of parents remains paramount in educating children about limited, risk-free use of screens and in guiding their internet navigation to protect them.
How to limit the impact of screens at home?
Adapt equipment according to the child’s age
Healthcare professionals recommend adapting screen use and the type of device to the child's age. The main principles of this rule can be summarized as:
- Before 3 years: The child gains no benefit from watching screens. Social interaction and active play are preferred for developing motor and linguistic skills.
- Before 6 years: 30 minutes of television are tolerated for watching a cartoon, but always accompanied by a parent. Individual game consoles should be avoided. At this age, manual games should be preferred to develop three-dimensional perception. Before 9 years: 1 to 1.5 hours of screen time are allowed, if this daily time is always supervised by an adult.
- Before 12 years: 2 hours of accumulated screen time per day are tolerated, but the adolescent should not yet have access to social media.
Lead by example and act as a family
It's hard to ask a child not to watch TV or a teenager to put away their smartphone if parents themselves spend all their time in front of screens.
Adopting a playful, less restrictive approach encourages the child while allowing them to be an active participant in their own usage:
- Propose challenges to limit screen time duration
- Set an alarm to signal when screen time is over
- Establish connection rituals, for example, one evening a week without a smartphone…
Communicate with your child and teenager
Inform your child about the harmful effects of excessive screen use and the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on their physical and mental health: sleep disorders, irritability, difficulty concentrating, eye strain… Pedagogy allows you to inform without prohibiting.
Apply the "4 no's" rule (no morning, meals, bedroom, evening)
To protect children from screens, psychologist Sabine Duflo advises applying the "4 no's" rule:
- No screens in the morning before school
- Not during meals
- Not in the bedroom
- Not at bedtime
Scientific literature is sufficiently documented to demonstrate the value of these good practices. Indeed, screens in a child's bedroom or at bedtime disrupt the sleep cycle.
A child exposed to screens in the morning is more likely to experience attention difficulties at school.
The 20-20-20 rule to rest eyes and body
Focusing attention and gaze on a precise point causes eye strain and muscle tension. It is even more important to limit screen time for the youngest, as a child's eye is still developing, and natural light is essential for its proper growth.
Healthcare professionals recommend taking regular breaks to relieve eye fatigue: every 20 minutes, look at a distance of 20 meters, for 20 seconds.
Offer screen alternatives during free time
Offering screen-free activities allows children to develop their sensory, motor, and linguistic skills.
Board games and building toys, craft activities, creative hobbies, outings, cooking, music, walks… Children's free time is precious and should be used to engage all their senses.
Replace the classic chair with a dynamic seat
Although it is necessary to limit screen time, it is not conceivable to ban them completely. Especially during adolescence, the utility of a computer for homework is common.
To improve your teenager's well-being, it is therefore better to adapt their workstation with ergonomic furniture, which minimizes tension and fatigue.
Even better, replace their desk chair with a ball chair. Sitting on a ball chair encourages movement during screen time and limits the damage of a prolonged static sitting position.
Thus, during a video game session or while working at their desk, your child maintains a dynamic posture.
The instability of the ball chair requires constant micro-movements to adjust posture and maintain balance. The body remains in motion, deep muscles engage, the back straightens, and overall posture improves.
Conclusion
The digitalization of our society necessitates the establishment of benchmarks to safeguard children's health. Rather than succumbing to this hyper-connectivity, they must be protected from it.
Beyond the inappropriate content to which young people can be exposed, overexposure to screens disrupts their balance: sleep disorders, reduced physical activity, eye strain, and an increased risk of overweight.
Parents play an essential role in controlling the use of digital technologies. Adapting screen exposure according to children's age, establishing screen-free times, maintaining intra-family interactions, and offering varied activities that prioritize movement, reflection, and manipulation are all good habits that contribute to their well-being.
Bloon ball chairs align with this logic of invigorating children's daily lives by meeting their natural need to move, despite screen use.
FAQ Screen Overexposure in Children and Adolescents
What is the recommended screen time per age?
Healthcare professionals advise parents to supervise screen usage rather than setting a unique duration limit. However, recommendations suggest no screens before age 3, exceptional exposure before age 6, and moderate, supervised use thereafter.
Why no screens before age 6?
Screen exposure is not recommended before 3 years old and only tolerated in exceptional cases for children aged 3 to 6. Toddlers are still in a developmental phase. They need to interact, play, explore, and move to develop all their capabilities.
What is the 3, 6, 9, 12 rule?
The 3-6-9-12 rule is a guideline that helps parents guide their children's screen usage according to their age. In summary, the recommendations are: no screens before 3 years old, exceptional and supervised use before 6 years old, followed by progressive but always supervised autonomous use.
What are the impacts of screens on children?
The physical and psychological impacts of screens can affect various aspects of children's lives, such as sleep, vision, attention, emotions, language, and physical abilities. These effects have led the government to designate screen overexposure as a public health issue.
Can I use screens to calm a child?
Getting into the habit of calming a child with a screen is a false good idea. In addition to the risks of dependence it can create, this method does not teach the child to regulate their emotions independently.
Is there screen dependence in toddlers?
Although "screen addiction" is not recognized by science as a diagnosis, certain signs can suggest dependence in children from a young age, such as loss of interest in other activities, frequent demands for the screen, violent reactions to screen withdrawal or refusal, etc.
Do screens have a place in our children's education?
Despite the dangers of screen overexposure, digital technologies cannot be entirely prohibited. Supervised use can be beneficial for children's learning.