UNVEILING THE DIGITAL DILEMMA: DELVING INTO THE LINK BETWEEN SCREEN TIME AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan treat patients from both extremes of socio-economic groups. Issues thought to be of the developed world have become more common here now. One such problem is that of the effects that screen time may have on our pediatric population. There has been an overall increase in the number of hours of screen time, and children are being exposed at earlier ages now. Most low and middle-income countries have no guidelines set to control this. The effects can occur in three major areas: Cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development. Many studies delve into the harm that can occur to these three domains, especially with excessive screen time viewing and earlier exposure. There have also been links to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression. However, it is worth noting that under controlled circumstances, media could prove beneficial for each domain. Healthcare professionals can play a pivotal role in raising awareness among parents regarding this topic. It is unrealistic to expect zero screen time in this day and age, but it should be kept at a level that will not harm.