Padmavati Prabhu
Panaji: With children and adolescents increasingly hooked to mobile phones, tablets and laptops, experts warn that prolonged screen time can adversely affect their mental and physical health.
“Screen time is the quiet, glowing window through which children peek into the digital world. It is the time their eyes remain fixed on a mobile screen, tablet, television, laptop or gaming console,” says paediatrician Dr Siddhi Nevrekar Usgaonkar.
“It’s not just about watching something; it’s about how the child’s brain, senses, posture, eyes, ears and emotions stay engaged with a digital device. Even when a child appears calm while watching a screen, the brain is highly active—absorbing fast colours, rapid movements, loud sounds and sudden emotional shifts,” she explains. Dr Siddhi says that children gravitate towards screens not because they are beneficial, but because they effortlessly capture attention.
“Colours are brighter than real toys, characters speak faster than real people and games offer instant rewards. This stimulates dopamine, the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemical. When friends discuss games or cousins share reels, children naturally want to join in,” she adds.
She also points out that mobile phones become an easy “peace button” for parents juggling multiple responsibilities. Moreover, online education, digital homework and school social media groups increase exposure unintentionally.
“Screens are not the problem—excessive convenience is. It slowly replaces real-world experiences,” she says.
She recommends WHO guidelines: zero screen time for infants (0–2 years), no more than one hour for toddlers (2–5 years), 60–90 minutes of entertainment screen time for older children (6–12 years), and ideally under two hours for teenagers (13–18 years).
Prolonged screen exposure can cause physical, psychological and long-term effects.
Physical effects include digital eye strain, dry eyes, burning sensation, headaches, myopia (short-sightedness), sleep disturbances (blue light reduces melatonin production), postural problems, obesity and metabolic slowdown due to sedentary behaviour, says ophthalmologist Dr Pradnya Kamat.
Psychological and neurological effects include poor attention span, emotional dysregulation, speech delays in toddlers, hyperactivity, restlessness and behavioural issues.
“Fast-paced reels and rapidly changing scenes condition the brain to expect constant stimulation, making real life feel slow and increasing distractibility. Children who rely on screens for emotional soothing may struggle with boredom, sadness or frustration and may show more frequent tantrums,” says Dr Siddhi.
She advises parents to create no-screen zones and introduce creative, engaging alternatives.
“Parents don’t need to fight screens; they need to guide their use. Children follow what they see — not what
they are told. Establish no-screen areas like the dining table and bedroom. Offer alternatives such as colouring, clay, puzzles, sports, music, dancing, storytelling and gardening. Co-viewing content also helps children interpret what they watch,” she suggests.
