Screens are part of nearly every family's daily life now, and the guidance has genuinely shifted over the past several years — from strict hour-by-hour limits toward a broader question of how screens are actually being used. This article covers both: the specific numeric guidance that still applies to young children, and the more individualized approach recommended for older children, being transparent about where different authorities emphasize different things.
Under 2 years — what WHO and IAP each recommend
WHO and IAP guidance for this age group isn't identical, and it's worth being precise rather than blending the two into one rule:
- WHO (2019 guidelines for children under 5): for infants under 1 year and for 1-year-olds, sedentary screen time is not recommended. For 2-year-olds, no more than 1 hour a day, with less being better. WHO's guidance is framed around sedentary screen time specifically, as part of a broader recommendation about physical activity and sitting time.
- IAP (Guidelines for Parents): recommends avoiding screen exposure altogether for children under 2, with the exception of occasional video calls with relatives.
In practice, both organizations are cautious about screen exposure in the first two years, but IAP's recommendation for under-2s is broader (avoid screens generally) than WHO's, which specifically addresses sedentary screen time for under-1s and 1-year-olds separately from its numeric limit that starts at age 2. Video calling with family is a reasonable exception under either approach, since it's a form of real social interaction rather than passive viewing.
Ages 2–4/5 years — keep it limited and high quality
WHO recommends no more than 1 hour a day for 2-year-olds and for 3–4-year-olds, with less being better. IAP recommends the same 1-hour ceiling, extending it through age 5. Within that time, quality matters regardless of which guidance you follow — choose age-appropriate, non-violent, ideally educational content, and watch together (co-viewing) rather than handing over a device to use alone.
School-age children and teens — beyond a single number
This is where recommendations have shifted the most — but this is a shift in emphasis, not a decision that limits or duration no longer matter. The American Academy of Pediatrics' current approach moves away from a single universal time limit for older children and instead emphasizes a framework sometimes called the "5 C's": considering the Child (their individual needs), the Content they're engaging with, whether they can stay Calm and self-regulate without screens, what healthy activities screen use might be Crowding out, and open family Communication about media use. Some general reference points (such as 1–2 hours a day of purely recreational screen use) are still commonly cited, and the goal of the 5 C's framework is still to arrive at sensible, consistently applied limits for your family — just ones set individually through this framework and a family media plan, rather than one fixed number imposed on every child.
Quality matters as much as quantity
Not all screen time is equal. Educational or creative use (interactive learning apps, video calls with family, creating art or music) tends to be more valuable than passive consumption, and violent or age-inappropriate content carries its own separate concerns regardless of how much time is spent on it.
What excessive screen use can crowd out
The real question isn't just "how many hours," but whether screen use is displacing things a child needs: sleep, physical activity, face-to-face social interaction, family meals, homework, and unstructured play. When screen time pushes these things out, that's a more useful signal than the clock alone.
Screen time and sleep
Screens — especially in the hour before bed — can make it harder to fall asleep, both because of stimulating content and because of the light itself. Keeping screens out of the bedroom and switching off at least an hour before bedtime is a reasonable, practical habit. See our Sleep Problems in Children article for more on building a good bedtime routine.
Does screen time cause ADHD or autism?
No — current evidence does not show that screen time causes ADHD or autism. Heavy or poorly timed screen use can affect sleep, attention, and mood in ways that are worth managing in their own right, and it can sometimes make an underlying attention difficulty more noticeable, but this is different from being a cause. See our articles on ADHD and Early Signs of Autism for more on what actually is and isn't understood about their causes.
Building a family media plan
- Set clear, consistent rules together as a family, and revisit them as your child gets older
- Keep some times and places screen-free — family meals and bedrooms are common choices
- Model the habits you want your child to have; children notice how much their parents use screens too
- Prioritize co-viewing for younger children, and stay involved in what older children are watching or playing
- Balance screen time with physical activity, reading, and unstructured play
A brief note on social media
Most major platforms set a minimum age of 13 in their own terms of service, and younger children generally aren't ready to navigate the social and privacy judgment these platforms require. If you do allow an older child or teenager to use social media, staying involved — understanding what platforms they use and talking openly about online safety — matters more than any single rule.
Frequently asked questions
Is video calling with grandparents okay for a baby? Yes. Video chatting with family is specifically treated as an exception to the "avoid screens under 2" guidance, since it's a form of real social interaction rather than passive viewing.
My 4-year-old sometimes watches more than an hour a day — has this caused harm? Occasionally going over isn't something to be alarmed about. What matters more over time is the overall pattern — the type of content, whether it's crowding out sleep, play, and family time, and whether this is a rare exception or the daily norm.
Does screen time cause autism or ADHD? No. There's no good evidence that screen time causes either condition. It can affect sleep and attention in ways worth managing, which is a different thing from being a cause.
See our Developmental and Behavioural Concerns service page for more on how these concerns are approached at this clinic.
Further reading
- Screen Time Guidelines for Parents — IAP Guidelines for Parents
- Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep for Children Under 5 Years of Age — World Health Organization, 2019
- Helping Kids Thrive in a Digital World: AAP Policy Explained — HealthyChildren.org (AAP)
General, current guidance for educational purposes — not individualized medical advice. Always discuss specific concerns about your child's development or behaviour with your own pediatrician.