Are children exposed to screens at an early age more likely to develop attention disorders?
The massive use of screens is a recent phenomenon on which we still have little scientific hindsight.
Today, the majority of studies tend to show that excessive use of screens increases the risk of developing attention disorders in children. In particular, links have been found between exposure to screens in the evening and the development of attention deficit disorders with or without hyperactivity (ADHD). Moreover, early exposure to screens has also been implicated in the development of behavioral disorders.
In fact, spending a lot of time in front of screens, especially if the content is very fast-paced and stimulating (as in cartoons, video games or social networks), puts little strain on children's attention and self-regulation capacities, and can harm their ability to concentrate over the long term.
However, it also depends on the context and type of use. For example, moderate use with high-quality educational content can have positive effects on children's development.
Whatever the age, it's essential that children's use of screens is supervised.
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