Doctors explained how much time children can spend in front of the screen

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Adults and children are spending more and more time on computers, tablets and smartphones due to work, study, communication and entertainment. Using the screen for a long time can have a detrimental effect on the health and brain development of children, pediatricians warn.

There is still no universal instruction on the amount of permissible screen time for adults, but doctors have managed to draw up recommendations for children under five years of age. For example, babies should not look at the screen at all until they are 18 months old, writes Business Insider. The exception is rare video chats with family members.

Children from 18 to 24 months are allowed to use gadgets a little, but they should be limited to educational content, which the child must watch with their parents. Children from two to five years old can spend no more than one hour in front of the screen on weekdays, doctors say, and no more than three on weekends.

There is no clear opinion among doctors about the permissible screen time for children over five years old. However, they all agree that computers, tablets and other devices should not harm mental health, interfere with learning, communication with peers and family, physical activity and sleep.