Children who spend excessive time in front of screens:

• are unlikely to be getting the recommended levels of physical activity (60 minutes aday for 5-17 year olds) which can lead to poor weight management
• often eat food without listening to hunger cues
• can become distracted and consume 'empty calorie’ foods which are high in salt, fat and sugar and low in nutrient value
• are more likely to be influenced by junk food advertising and seek out poor food choices.

Screens such as TVs, phones and tablets release blue light, which blocks the release of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone released by your brain in response to darkness. This hormone helps your child fall asleep. 

The light emitted from screens has been shown to prevent sleep onset in children when used in the evening or just before sleep. Children who spend excessive time in front of screens are, therefore, unlikely to be getting the recommended levels of quality sleep (8-11 hours for 5-17year olds).  This can impact overall sleep time which can affect children's:

• attention
• concentration and
• behaviour in the days that follow.

Avoid screens at least one hour before bed and keep screens out of the bedroom to help your child's sleep. 

Chronic low sleep in children is linked to:

• fluctuating weight management
• poor mood
• behaviour issues. 

Excessive screen use can isolate children from what is happening around them. They can miss out on important interactions and learning opportunities that promote communication skills. For example:

• families may miss out on the everyday interactions or opportunities that help build healthy reltionships
• friendships may also be affected as children sit alongside each other on screens instead of interacting and communicating with each other
• children can miss opportunities to develop language and speech through play and interactions with others. Depending on the level of interrupted screen time, this issue can be ongoing. 

There is evidence showing that children who watch violent content, are more likely to:

• have pessimistic or negative outlooks on life
• show aggressive behaviour
• perceive aggressive behaviour as normal.

The internet and social media platforms provide children with the opportunity to exchange inappropriate and hurtful messages or images. Teach your children what is appropriate to share online and to think twice before posting messages and images. 

See Online safety for more information.

While there are established guidelines for ergonomic use of desktop computers, providing guidelines that fit all types of screens is challenging due to their varying sizes and environments they are used in. Bad posture during excessive screen time can lead to your child experiencing physical problems like neck and back pain. 

Ideally, screens should be positioned just below your child’s line of vision with their neck in a neutral position. 

When children stare at the screen for an extended period of time, they may blink less than normal which can dry their eyes. This can lead to eye strain and fatigue throughout the day.The accumulation of screens throughout the day at home and school can increase children's risk.

Research has shown that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop short-sightedness as they age. Short-sightedness is when children can see things up close but have trouble seeing things far away.