BENIN CITY – Health practitioners have urged parents to adhere strictly to approved screen time guidelines for children to prevent vision problems and other harmful health effects.
Speaking at the Monthly Seminar of the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin/University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Mrs. Omoregie Abieyuwa Peace, who presented a paper titled “The Hidden Dangers of Screen Time: Uncovering the Impact on Children’s Health,” cautioned that unregulated screen use poses serious physical, mental and emotional risks to both children and adults.
She explained that prolonged screen time promotes sedentary behavior that often leads to obesity and inactivity.
It also contributes to poor posture, resulting in neck, shoulder and back pain, and sleep disturbances that lower overall sleep quality.
According to her, digital strain causes vision problems and eye fatigue in both children and adults, while excessive screen use delays speech and language skills by interfering with the cognitive and brain development of children.
Mrs. Omoregie stressed that children need human interaction rather than exposure to screens. She warned that when screens dominate, adults speak less to children, reducing parental verbal interaction.
This, she said, can fuel anxiety, depression, aggressive behaviour and poor academic performance.
She advised parents to establish healthy screen time habits at home, such as avoiding devices at the dining table and keeping televisions out of children’s bedrooms, while also encouraging more face-to-face conversations and bonding.
She further urged parents to model healthy behaviour by limiting their own screen use, including avoiding eating in front of the television.
Mrs. Omoregie noted that experts recommend no screen exposure for children under two years to prevent speech delays, only one hour daily for children aged 18 months to six years, and less than two hours daily for those between seven and twelve years.
