How young is too young for screen time? Behavioral scientists may have an answer

If you’re worried about your children’s screen time, you’re not alone: It’s one of parents’ top concerns as kids gear up for a new school year. But there’s a new study about the impact of screens on the youngest tech users that’s causing a stir. No, we’re not talking about Gen Alpha, which has quickly become known as the most tech-savvy generation ever. This time, we’re talking about babies.

A new survey from Japan collected data from more than 7,000 1-year-olds—some of whom were being exposed to screens, and some of whom were not. The study, which was published this week in JAMA Pediatrics, found that those who were exposed to screens for more than one hour each day had more developmental delays than those who led screen-free, applesauce-eating, typical toddler lives.

Of course, the findings are not all that surprising, especially because the delays involved communication—which babies are learning less of if they’re spending more time looking at the TV, playing video games, or using phones or tablets. There were also noticeable delays in their fine motor skills and problem-solving skills, which were not as developed as those of the screen-free babies at ages 2, 3, and 4. Again, more time using screens means less time touching and feeling their way around the world—which not long ago was what babies spent all of their time doing when they weren’t having a snooze.

While screen time can have benefits for older kids, this study seems to confirm something most of us already guessed: that age 1 is too young for any amount of screen time.

Dr. Neha Pathak of WebMd says that babies may experience delays due to early screen time because they aren’t engaging in “real-world learning” during those hours. “Great ways to engage 1-year-olds in activities that keep them busy but also nurture their developing brains involve talking face-to-face, watching them try to copy your language, and having them help with chores like loading and unloading laundry—even if that means giving them a few towels to get wrapped in while you fold,” she tells Fast Company. “[That’s] going to be much more helpful for their development.”

While we probably didn’t need a study to tell us that screens aren’t good for babies, now we have one. But even before that, the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics were firmly in the no-screens-for-babies camp. Both organizations recommend that children younger than 1 year old don’t have any screen exposure.

The good news is that if your babies spend time watching screens and experience delays as a result, they are likely to catch up by age 4, according to the study. But if having a baby genius is important to you, maybe skip the iPad early on.