FREQUENCY AND DETERMINANTS OF SCREEN-VIEWING IN CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS

Abstract

Background: With the rapid growth of digital media, there is a significant growth in screen exposure among young children. The issue of excessive screen-time in the first two years of life is of special concern since this time is a very critical period of cognitive, social, and emotional growth. International standards are against screen exposure in children below the age of 24 but screen exposure in children is still very common, particularly in the low and middle income nations.

Objective: The aim is to estimate the frequency of excessive screen viewing and the factors that may affect the screen-viewing behavior in children who are under the age of two years.

Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional study carried out in the Department of Paediatric Medicine, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, from June 2025 to September 2025. Non-probability consecutive sampling was used to enroll 89 children between 3 months and 24 months old. The data were gathered using a structured, interviewer based questionnaire filled in by parent or caregivers. Screen time was considered excessive when it was more than any screen time among the children below the age of 24 months. Determinants measured were: the age of the child, sex, birth order, daytime caregiver, socioeconomic status, access to television in the bedroom, and access to handheld devices before bedtime. The SPSS version 25.0 was used to analyze the data. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for qualitative variables, while means and standard deviations were used for quantitative variables. The chi-square test was used to assess associations with a p-value of 0.05 taken to be significant.

Results: The results showed that 64% of children under two years were exposed to screens. The exposure to the screen was more notable among children in the 12-24 months age group. The most important related factors were parental caregiving, TV presence in the bedroom, and handheld device use before going to sleep. Children born first and low socioeconomic status children were more apt to excessive screen exposure.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of excessive screen viewing among children under the age of two and numerous modifiable family and environmental factors affect the prevalence of excessive screen viewing in children. Education of parents early in life and specific interventions are necessary to encourage healthy screen behaviors in early childhood.