Screen time damages children's development, say experts

Some studies find young children get 5-7 hours a day

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Saturday, April 14, 2018
Screen time damages children's development, say experts
Screen time damages children's development, say experts. Brian Taff reports during Action News at 4:30 p.m. on April 13, 2018.

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WPVI) -- Letting little kids entertain themselves with a smartphone or tablet might occupy them in the short run.

But experts say it could seriously damage their development.

They say the more screen time, the less academic success they have in school.

It also hurts their social interactions with other kids, and lowers their ability to understand the emotions of others.

Kids under 2 shouldn't have any screen time, and those between 2 and 5 years should have no more than an hour a day.

However, some studies show children are getting 5 to 7 hours a day.