The screens have invaded our homes in record time. But their omnipresence in children really affect their health and cognitive development? Answers with our experts.
In a few years, screens have become omnipresent in children’s lives. Televisions, phones, tablets, computers … Access is easy and almost permanent. But beyond the known effects on attention or sleep, there are also more severe consequences for the child’s health. Lighting of Dr. Bruno Assouly, doctor and founder of the information campaign on the proper use of screens, and Dr François-Marie Caron, pediatrician and member of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics (AFPA).
What are the effects of children’s health screens?
A large Danish study published on August 6, 2025 in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that Each additional hour passed in front of a screen increases the cardiometabolic risk score – Composed of measurements such as the waist, tension, “good” cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar – in children and adolescents. Clearly, spending too much time in front of a screen can increase the risk of heart and metabolic diseases. This risk is higher in adolescents than in the youngest. In addition, the team detected a real “metabolic imprint” in the blood, linked to screen hours, which could predict a Future heart risk.
Another effect: screens can Disturbing the child’s sleep. “The screen emits blue light and this can inhibit the secretion of melatonin, the hormone which regulates the watch/sleep cycles of an individual”explains Dr. Caron. Esult: falling asleep is delayed. “You have to pay attention to the quality of sleep. To do this, banish the screens in the rooms and make sure your children do not use them in the evening, after dinner”advises Dr. Assouly.
For the view,, “The screen tires the eyes, but does not damage them … when the child stops looking at the screen, his eye recovers”underlines Dr. Caron. The risk comes mainly from the lack of natural light, which can promote myopia. “During the first months of life, the visual system … needs a very broad spectrum of stimuli and a wide angle vision”recalls Dr. Assouly. He recommends “To keep your screens away as much as possible … and to encourage your children to spend time outside in order to enjoy natural light”.
What are the consequences on cognitive development?
In 2023, in a national study published by Public Health France, researchers recall that “Studies include an increased risk of overweight and obesity, and difficulties in the development of language and cognitive development associated with the use of screens “. Concretely, what are the risks?
Concentration capacity. “”If a child uses a screen on its own, without accompaniment, it will be easily excited. However, excitement quickly becomes compulsive and monopolizes all the attention, which will alter, in the short and the long term, its capacity for concentration. Watching television for too long can also promote visual and auditory hyper-stimulation“Explains Dr. Caron.
Agility and motor skills. “The child needs to learn in 3D and not in 2D to acquire space-time marks. He also needs to use all his motor faculties, his smell, his touch, his view … and must manipulate objects. Which is completely limited on a tablet”regrets Dr. Caron. “”An article from the Guardian (2018) also told us that an increased use of the screens prevented the muscles of the hand and the fingers of children from developing enough and could alter the lack of skill, dexterity and learning to write “adds Dr. Assouly.
Language acquisition. A massive use of screens at a young age (3-4 years) can have repercussions on language learning. “The acquisition of language and its enrichment can only be done by interacting with people who speak, exchanges of looks, emotions which pass and with real communication issues. Listening to someone to speak absolutely does not write language and does not allow to retain words or syntax”specifies Dr. Caron. “Passive exposure does not promote certain types of interaction”confirms Dr. Assouly.
The risks of exposure to the light of the screens. In February 2023, the National Academy of Medicine published a press release on the consequences of exposure to the light of screens for children and adolescents. It points to the dangers of excessive use, which can cause retinal phototoxicity and deregulate the sleep waking pace.
