Excessive screen time in toddlers may affect academic performance

Excessive screen time in early childhood is linked to a decline in academic performance and working memory capacity later in childhood, according to the latest research findings. A study conducted by a research team from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) in France and the National University of Singapore found that high screen use during certain developmental periods can affect a child’s learning ability later in life. The research, published in the World of Pediatrics journal in April 2026, followed 502 children from infancy to middle childhood. According to one of the study’s authors, early infancy is a period when the brain develops very rapidly, making it more vulnerable to reduced direct learning interactions caused by screen use. Researchers also found that screen use in children aged two to three years did not show a significant link to a decline in these abilities. However, the association reappeared when children were around six years old or beginning formal education. The researchers recommend that children under the age of two should not be given routine screen time. However, screen use under certain conditions, such as video calls with family or parent-supervised educational activities, is still considered acceptable.