Extended and frequent exposure to screens during early childhood can interfere with natural developmental processes in these key areas:

Delayed Language and Social Skills

In the first few years of life, a baby’s brain is developing at an extraordinary rate. These early years are foundational for communication, emotional regulation, and social connection. But when screens enter the picture too early or too often, they can interrupt the rich, real-life interactions that babies need to thrive.

Even passive exposure to screens—like background TV—can interfere with a baby’s ability to learn language and connect socially. Research from Madigan et al. (2019) found that more screen time at age 2 was associated with poorer performance on developmental screening tests at age 3, including communication skills. The more screen time toddlers had, the greater the delay observed later. According to Kirkorian, Pempek, & Anderson (2009), background television reduces the quantity and quality of parent-child interaction, limiting the kind of responsive communication that builds early language skills.

Christakis et al. (2009) also reported that for each hour of audible TV exposure, infants experienced a significant decrease in adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations—core ingredients in language development.
A 2023 study by Radesky and colleagues highlighted that toddlers with higher media exposure showed lower social-emotional competence. The study emphasized that screens may displace essential social learning that happens during play and face-to-face communication.

Changes in Brain Structure

The first three years of life are when the brain builds its foundation. During this time, over a million neural connections form every second—shaped by the baby’s environment, experiences, and relationships.

When screens take the place of rich, real-world interaction, it can do more than delay development. It can actually change the way a baby’s brain is developing. A study from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 2019 used brain scans (MRI) to look at toddlers’ brains. The results showed that screen time was linked to lower development in the brain’s white matter—especially in areas involved in language, literacy, and cognitive control (Hutton, J. S., et al., 2019). White matter is like the brain’s highway system—it helps messages move quickly and smoothly between different regions. When it’s underdeveloped, kids may struggle more with learning, memory, and self-regulation as they grow.

Furthermore, digital media use in preschoolers was also found to be linked with reduced cortical thickness and sulcal depth in areas for visual processing, memory, attention, and social cognition (Hutton et al., 2022).

Therefore, babies and toddlers need real-world input—faces, voices, touch, movement—not fast-changing digital images. Screens tend to be passive, overstimulating, and non-interactive, which doesn’t give the brain the practice it needs to grow strong communication and thinking skills.

Emotional Regulation and Mental Health

Research shows that infants can become anxious when they are unable to see their caregiver’s face—something that often happens when the caregiver is focused on a screen. Face-to-face interactions are essential for babies to read emotional cues, feel secure, and begin to regulate their own emotions.

Excessive screen use can reduce the quality and quantity of these crucial interactions, making it harder for infants and caregivers to form strong emotional bonds. This can delay the development of emotional regulation skills, which are foundational for future mental health. Secure attachments—built through consistent eye contact, touch, and responsive communication—help infants feel safe and understood. These early connections lay the groundwork for a child’s ability to manage stress, develop empathy, and form healthy relationships later in life.

Moreover, when screens distract caregivers during key moments of interaction—such as feeding, soothing, or playtime—it can send mixed signals to the child, creating confusion and emotional distress. Protecting these everyday moments helps support the infant’s growing sense of self and emotional resilience.

---