A longitudinal study from Singapore suggests that heavy screen exposure at ages 1 and 6 could negatively influence children’s academic performance and working memory, highlighting a sensitive period in early brain development.
Screen time in infancy and just before school may do more than occupy a child: it may shape later learning, according to a longitudinal study published in the World Journal of Pediatrics. Researchers followed 502 children in Singapore from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes cohort and found that heavier screen exposure at age 1 and again at age 6 was linked with weaker academic performance later and poorer working memory in the following years, suggesting that early childhood may be a particularly sensitive period for brain development.
The study tracked children at several ages, including 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 6 and 8 years, and assessed outcomes later at ages 9 and 10.5. The strongest association appeared at age 1, when screen viewing was most closely tied to later cognitive measures, while the pattern re-emerged at age 6, around the time children are entering formal schooling and need more from attention, memory and learning systems. The researchers said this supports the idea of a “sensitive window” in early development.
Working memory, one of the outcomes measured, refers to the ability to hold and use information over a short period, a skill that helps children follow instructions, solve problems and learn in class. Children and Screens, an education and research organisation, says excessive screen use in early life can affect attention, language, learning, memory and executive function, although the effects depend on context such as content, interactivity and the behaviour of adults nearby.
The findings align with wider guidance from the World Health Organisation and the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommend avoiding screens for children younger than 18 to 24 months and keeping screen time for those aged 2 to 5 to less than an hour a day. Other studies, including research in Pediatric Research and work summarised by TIME, have also linked early and heavy screen exposure with less favourable developmental outcomes, reinforcing advice that, for young children, less screen time is usually better.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
