Study Links Early Childhood Screen Time to Poorer Academic Performance
A 10-year longitudinal study conducted in Singapore followed 502 children from infancy into middle childhood, examining the relationship between screen viewing time and later academic performance and working memory. The study found a clear pattern: more screen viewing at ages 1 year, 1.5 years, and 6 years was associated with lower academic scores at age 9. The strongest associations were observed during infancy, though screen exposure around school entry also showed relevance. While findings for working memory were less consistent, screen viewing at ages 1 and 6 years was linked to weaker working memory at age 10.5. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screen media before 18 months, except for video chatting, and limiting screen use to about one hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years. 
