Kids And iPads: How Much Is Too Much?

Most parents have done it. You're trying to fix dinner, help a sibling with homework, or make a quick phone call. So you hand your child the iPad, or flip on Nick Jr.

Not so fast, many pediatricians say. There could be long-term repercussions of too much screen time. So how much screen time is too much? And is it ever okay to use a device as a babysitting assistant?

Here are the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

• Children younger than 18 months should not get any screen time.
• You can introduce your child 18 to 24 months to digital media with "high-quality programming" and use them together with your child, the AAP recommends. "Letting children use media by themselves should be avoided," the organization says.
• For children 2 and older, the use of digital media should be limited to no more than an hour a day. Programming should be "high quality."

"Co-view or co-play with your children, and find other activities for to do together that are healthy for the body and mind (e.g., reading, teaching, talking, and playing together)," the AAP says. Also, avoid allowing your children to sleep with devices in their bedrooms, including TVs, computers, and smartphones, the AAP recommends.

But another study says the AAP guidelines may be too restrictive.

A study by Oxford University's Internet Institute and Cardiff University that was published last year in the journal Child Development determined that restrictions on screen time for children time were "out-of-date," USA Today reported.

In fact, limiting screen time doesn't impact a child's mental wellness, that study said.

"Our findings suggest the broader family context, how parents set rules about digital screen time, and if they’re actively engaged in exploring the digital world together, are more important than the raw screen time," the study's lead author, Oxford Internet Institute's Dr. Andrew Przybylski, told USA Today.

So what do you think: how much screen time is too much, and is it ever ok to use the TV or an iPad as a babysitter? Share your feedback below, or email Kara.Seymour@Patch.com

PHOTO: Pixabay