Even toddlers exposed to as little as three hours of screen time per day are reportedly lagging in vocabulary development and preschool readiness skills, researchers found. As screen exposure increases, the risk to cognitive, emotional, and behavioural health deepens
Excessive screen time in young children is being linked to reduced brain development and delayed cognitive skills, according to alarming new research involving MRI scans of preschoolers.
The scans reveal that children who spend prolonged periods glued to screens show thinner grey matter in critical areas of the brain responsible for language, memory, and empathy. The findings have raised concerns among paediatricians and neuroscientists, who warn that such neurological changes can have lasting developmental consequences.
Even toddlers exposed to as little as three hours of screen time per day are reportedly lagging in vocabulary development and preschool readiness skills, researchers found. As screen exposure increases, the risk to cognitive, emotional, and behavioural health deepens.
“Children are using these devices, and they are not learning social and non-verbal skills that we pick up from interacting, face-to-face, with other people,” said Sir Cary Cooper, professor of psychology at the University of Manchester. He added that early overreliance on screens is interfering with children’s ability to develop emotional intelligence and empathy — vital traits acquired through real-world social experiences.
The new findings coincide with mounting evidence that heavy digital device use among children — particularly those aged two to five — can impair not only brain structure but also reading ability, attention span, and emotional regulation. Paediatricians warn that some children spending up to seven to eight hours per day on screens may be at risk of developing tunnel vision and attention difficulties.
One growing concern is the impact of screen use on vision and eye development. Staring at screens for extended periods can cause the eye muscles to stiffen, which in turn affects concentration and may mimic symptoms often associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), leading to misdiagnosis.
Health professionals are urging parents and caregivers to prioritise real-world play and human interaction — which are essential for healthy brain development in early childhood. Physical play, storytelling, and interpersonal communication foster critical neural connections that are not stimulated by passive screen consumption.
The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that children aged 2 to 5 should have no more than one hour of high-quality screen time per day, with adult supervision. However, experts believe that many families are unaware of or overwhelmed by these guidelines, especially with the increasing use of tablets and smartphones as digital babysitters.
Sir Cary Cooper emphasised that screens can’t replace the benefits of eye contact, body language, and spontaneous conversation — all key to developing well-rounded social skills. “The danger,” he warned, “is raising a generation of children who are digitally fluent but emotionally underdeveloped.”
In light of the findings, child health experts are calling for greater awareness, early interventions, and stronger screen-time guidelines. They advocate for integrating screen-free periods into daily routines and creating tech-free zones in homes to encourage more balanced, interactive learning environments. As screen use continues to rise among children, the call for conscious parenting and mindful technology use has never been more urgent.
