AltaPointe Health: Children and Screen Time

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A new U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory is raising concerns about the amount of time children and teens are spending on screens — from smartphones and tablets to gaming and social media. Health officials say excessive screen use may be impacting everything from sleep and school performance to mental health and social development.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Chelsea Miller, a child and adolescent psychiatrist from AltaPointe Health, joined Studio10 to share what parents need to know.

FEDERAL ADVISORY

Federal health officials are warning that excessive screen time among children and teenagers has become a growing public health concern, citing links to sleep disruption, declining mental health, reduced physical activity, and difficulties with in-person relationships.

The new advisory from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services highlights the amount of time many young people spend on phones, tablets, gaming systems, and other digital devices each day. According to the report, screen exposure often begins before a child’s first birthday and continues to rise throughout adolescence.

Health officials say excessive screen use can interfere with healthy sleep patterns, which are critical for emotional regulation, learning, physical health, and overall development. The advisory also points to concerns about decreased school performance, lower levels of physical activity, and reduced face-to-face social interaction.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FAMILIES

The advisory also offers recommendations encouraging parents and caregivers to create healthy boundaries around technology use at home. Suggested strategies include creating device-free zones, encouraging in-person activities and friendships, establishing family media plans, and modeling healthy screen habits themselves.

The guidance also includes age-based recommendations for children:

· No screen time for children younger than 18 months

· Less than one hour per day for children under age 6

· Limiting recreational screen use to about two hours daily for older children and teens

The advisory follows growing national concern over youth mental health and the role social media and digital technology may play. Previous federal guidance has noted that children and adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media may face increased risks for anxiety and depression symptoms.

Experts say not all screen use is harmful, and educational or creative technology use may offer benefits. However, officials warn that passive scrolling, excessive social media exposure, and late-night device use may negatively affect emotional wellbeing and development.

WARNING SIGNS & RESOURCES

Parents are encouraged to watch for signs that screen use may be affecting a child’s mental health, including irritability, withdrawal from family or activities, changes in sleep, declining grades, anxiety, or mood changes.

For families needing additional support, AltaPointe Health offers a range of mental health services for children, adolescents, and families, including outpatient counseling, school-based services, psychiatric care, and crisis services.

Call AltaPointe’s access to care team at (251) 450-2211 or visit AltaPointe.org to learn more.