She Magazine NOVEMBER 2015 | Page 100

Screen Time Stephanie Strickland, MD | McLeod Family Medicine West D o you remember your child’s last well visit? Maybe the doctor mentioned that children under two shouldn’t watch television or other screens (phones, tablets, and computers) and older kids should view no more than two hours. Did you balk at the thought of enforcing those recommendations? In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released guidelines on media and children and the term “screen time” was introduced. • Role modeling is critical. Limit your own screen time and demonstrate appropriate etiquette. • We learn from communication. Research shows that very young children learn best through two-way communication. Passive video presentations, even educational ones, do not foster language development in infants and young toddlers. Media that promote live interaction hold more value (e.g., a toddler having a video chat with a parent who is traveling). Optimal educational media opportunities begin after age two. “Screen time” refers to the collective time spent viewing media in the form of television, computer screen, tablet, or phone. These guidelines rec