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HEALTH • Fall 2018 19 Dr. Mary Ellen Dugan, a pediatric doctor for Southboro Medical Group, cautioned that studies are still relatively unsettled on screen- time effects because the phenome- non is still so new. Yet parents can be sure that reading a book will always be a better use of time than anything on a device, she said. "What's frightening to me is it's common in our office at even a few months old, a parent will immedi- ately go for a phone" in trying to calm down their child," Dugan said. "You put a phone in front of a baby, and the kid will calm down. They didn't calm down for mom and they didn't calm down for dad, but they calm down in front of the phone," she said. "To me, that's frightening. It just gets a baby's attention and makes them tune out whatever else is going on in a room." Mello, the Hudson mom, said doc- tors have talked to her children about the importance of not just sitting still in the house during free time. "They try to put the bug into their ears about getting outside and playing," she said. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents don't allow any screen time for those under 18 months. "For under 2," LaBonte said, "having a lot of screen time may What type of services does Acclaim offer? • Skilled Nursing • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech Therapy • Medical Social Workers • Home Health Aides • Private aides For more information: Acclaim Home Health Care, Inc. 120 Stafford Street, Suite 206 Worcester, MA 01603 508.459.6937 TEL www.acclaimworcester.com We provide the best quality home care with a Big Call for our coverage area in Central MA A study last year published in the peer-reviewed journal Acta Paediatrica found higher brain con- nectivity during periods when chil- dren age 8 to 12 were reading, versus lower levels when they were watch- ing a screen. A released in July in the peer- reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association said that 2,500 teens who were tracked over two years found what researchers called a significant association between higher amounts of screen time and development of ADHD. More research is needed to find whether there is causation between the two, the authors said. Just this month, the American Heart Association issued a report encouraging limits on screen time, calling trends of increased use con- cerning and a contributor to seden- tary lifestyles. A greater awareness Even technology companies are getting in on the act. This summer, Apple included tools in its new oper- ating system to limit screen time by letting users know how many min- utes, or hours, they've spent actively on their phones. Google offers details of daily use, and Instagram tells users "you're all caught up" when they've viewed all recent posts on their feed. Emma Mello, a 6-year-old in Hudson, reading her favorite book. Her mother, Jackie, says she makes sure her children don't spend too much time on a screen. n Don't allow any screen time for those under 18 months n From 18 months to 24 months, parents should offer only high-quality programming and watch with their children to be able to explain what they're watching n From age 2 to 5, children should have only up to an hour per day n Set daily limits for older age groups, and media-free times or places, such as at dinner or in bedrooms Advice for parents Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics on use of electronic devices for children "You put a phone in front of a baby, and the kid will calm down. They didn't calm down for mom and they didn't calm down for dad, but they calm down in front of the phone, to me, that's frightening." Dr. Mary Ellen Dugan, Pediatric doctor, Southboro Medical Group interfere with cognitive development and social and emotional skills that they would normally get from human face-to-face interaction." From age 2 to 5, children should have only up to an hour per day, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. The academy also recommends daily limits for older age groups, and media-free times or locations. H P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y

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