Use our Q&A Bank or submit your own question to find the answers you need
Browse through our list of questions and answers to find the information you are looking for. Answers are evidence-based and developed in collaboration with the child and youth health professionals on our Advisory Board and Digital Health Task Force.
Educational, age-appropriate ‘learn-to-read’ apps and e-books can help with language—but only when parents and children read and learn together. The physical book experience offers more key sensory opportunities to feel different textures, pick and choose, turn pages, scribble, and chew on corners.
Apart from interactive video-chatting to support long-distance relationships, there is no benefit to exposing babies and toddlers to digital media because:
Young children need learning experiences that screens can’t provide like sensory stimulation, human interaction, and being able to physically explore the world around them.
To nurture healthy development, avoid exposing children under 2 years to screens. For children 2 to 5 years, limit routine or non-active screen use to about 1 hour (or less) per day.
Too much screen use has also been shown to increase episodes of preschoolers ‘acting out’ or developing problem behaviours.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used in positive ways, but they can also promote false, hurtful or misleading information, compromise privacy and contribute to academic fraud (for example, using ChatGPT to write an essay). Voice cloning and deep fakes are two extreme examples, but harm also happens when AI is used to portray inaccurate or stereotypical information as fact.
Speak with children and teens about using AI in ways that protect privacy, academic honesty and personal safety. Test out AI tools together so that everyone at home understands how to use them responsibly. Consider asking staff at your children’s school whether they have a policy on the use of AI tools, and whether students are taught about responsible use of AI.
About 50% of children are carrying a smartphone by age 11, but some people feel this is too young. Wait Until 8th, a parent-based grassroots movement in the U.S., recommends waiting until the end of Grade 8 (or age 14). So does a similar movement based in England.
Experts do not agree on the optimal age for children to have a smartphone, but later is usually better because older, more mature children can learn to use a phone responsibly. The decision also depends on whether a child needs a phone for safety or medical reasons.
When trying to determine if your child is ready for a smartphone, consider if they are:
Before getting their first phone, negotiate a contract with your child (template provided). A formal agreement can help children, teens (and parents) use phones in a way that is more intentional and responsible.
It’s easier to set screen limits when children are young instead of trying to cut back later on. When children are young, avoid using screens as a distraction. Instead, use strategies that nurture their ability to self-sooth and regulate their emotions. Respond right away to their immediate needs—for attention, a snack or a rest.
For children of any age, one way to set and monitor limits is to create a Family Media Plan. A plan helps you think about your screen use in a deliberate way. It encourages you to think about how and why each member of your family uses screens.
You can also create healthier family media routines through the behaviour that you model. For example, stick to the family media plan yourself, limit screen use during family times, and respond to children before your devices.
Finally, take an active interest in your child’s media life. By being involved, you can monitor what they are watching, prioritize educational, age-appropriate, and interactive programming, and talk to them about content you feel is problematic.
Besides interactive video-chatting with loved ones, digital media exposure does not benefit infants and toddlers. Why is that?
Educational, age-appropriate content can help with language development—but only when parents and children read and learn together.
For school-aged children and youth:
Friendship and socializing are among the biggest reasons for school-aged children and teens to be online. Staying in touch with friends through texting, instant messaging, gaming and social media appears to fulfill a strong developmental need to belong.
Despite the many positive aspects of feeling connected, parents must pay close attention to their child’s online activities so that the risks don’t outweigh the benefits. Talk frequently about how, when, and why young people are using their devices. Children and teens still need parents to watch for signs of excessive or unsafe use, and to step in when needed.
Technoference (rhymes with “interference”) is a word used to describe what happens when a parent or child’s screen use interrupts other activities.
For young children, time spent by parents on mobile devices is linked with more frequent negative interactions with their children. For example, if a parent is distracted by their screen use, a child may try to get their attention by making noise or doing something they are not supposed to do.
Technology also interferes with routines, play, social interactions and learning. For older children and teens, paying attention to a device while trying to learn has an immediate negative impact. It disrupts reading efficiency, impairs problem-solving, and lowers children’s confidence in their ability to do homework.
Discourage technoference by turning off screens and silencing notifications to make devices less distracting during times that you want to be screen-free.
La technoférence est un terme qui décrit ce qui se produit lorsque l’utilisation des écrans par un parent ou un enfant interrompt ses autres activités.
Chez le jeune enfant, le temps que passent ses parents sur leurs appareils mobiles est lié à des interactions négatives plus fréquentes. Par exemple, si un parent est distrait par ses écrans, l’enfant peut tenter d’attirer son attention en faisant du bruit ou en posant des gestes qui lui sont interdits.
La technologie nuit également aux habitudes, aux jeux, aux interactions sociales et à l’apprentissage. Chez les enfants plus âgés et les adolescents, l’attention portée à un appareil pendant l’apprentissage a un effet négatif immédiat. Ce comportement perturbe l’efficacité de la lecture, nuit à la résolution de problèmes et réduit la confiance de l’enfant envers sa capacité de faire ses devoirs.
Pour décourager la technoférence, éteignez les écrans et mettez-les en mode silencieux pour être moins distraits pendant les périodes que vous voulez passer sans écran.
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