Screens are a routine part of life for many children, but a study that tracked children from age 1 through age 8 found that greater viewing time, especially during infancy and near the start of school, was associated with lower academic performance at age 9 and weaker working memory at age 10.5.

The results indicate that when children use screens may matter as much as how long they spend using them. The World Health Organisation advises avoiding screens before 18 to 24 months and limiting viewing to less than one hour per day between ages 2 and 5.