Health
Screen time for kids under age 2 is linked to sensory differences in toddlerhood, new study finds
Allowing very young children to access televisions and other screens could lead to sensory challenges for them later in childhood, according to a new study from Drexel University in Pennsylvania.
The study, “Early-Life Digital Media Experiences and Development of Atypical Sensory Processing,” was published on Jan. 8 in JAMA Pediatrics.
“This study finds an association between greater screen time in the first two years of life and ‘high’ sensory-related behaviors in areas,” the study’s lead author, Karen Heffler, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at Drexel University, told Fox News Digital.
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To arrive at the findings, the research team analyzed data on TV or DVD-watching among 1,471 babies and toddlers at 12 months of age, 18 months and 24 months.
The data came from the National Children’s Study, a long-term look at “U.S. children and their parents designed to study environmental influences on child health and development,” according to the National Institute of Health.
Children experienced different atypical behaviors depending on when they were exposed to screens, a new study has found. (iStock)
The behavioral differences include “sensory seeking,” “sensory avoiding,” “sensory sensitivity” and “low registration,” Heffler said.
A child who is “sensory seeking” may be “attracted to spinning or shining objects” whereas a child with “low registration” would typically avoid eye contact and may not respond in a timely manner to being called or to familiar voices, said Heffler.
The study also found that children experienced different atypical behaviors depending on when they were exposed to screens.
“Although screen time of the children at each of the ages studied was found to be associated with atypical sensory processing at 33 months of age, the types of atypical sensory processing differed by the age of exposure,” Heffler noted.
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Children exposed to any amount of screen time at the age of 12 months were found to have a 105% greater likelihood of exhibiting “high” sensory behaviors, according to a press release.
At 18 months old, each additional hour of daily screen time for children was associated with a 23% increased likelihood of “high” sensory behaviors as well as later sensation avoiding and low registration, the release stated.
“Atypical sensory processing is commonly seen in several behavioral health problems, including children with ADHD and up to 90% of children with autism.”
Screen exposure at 24 months “was associated with sensation avoidance, sensory sensitivity and sensation seeking,” said Heffler.
“Atypical sensory processing is commonly seen in several behavioral health problems, including children with ADHD and up to 90% of children with autism,” she also said.
For children under age 2, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that screen time remain limited to video chats with family members. (iStock)
Autism is typically not diagnosed until a child reaches 2 years of age, according to experts.
“Prior to this study, there was little understanding of potential risk factors for atypical sensory processing,” said Heffler.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics, based in Illinois, recommends that children avoid screen time altogether — aside from video chats with family members and friends — until they are about 18 to 24 months, “this study gives further evidence that screen time for the youngest children should be avoided,” the expert noted.
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Screen exposure among very young children had previously been linked to autism, ADHD, language delays and other brain differences, Heffler told Fox News Digital.
“This study adds atypical sensory processing to the list of other developmental outcomes,” she said.
As Heffler pointed out, infants “do not have the capability to fully understand what they see on TV or video, but the lights, colors, sounds and movement experienced during screen time would have an impact on how the neurons in the brain connect, potentially affecting sensory processing pathways and sensory-related behavior.”
Reducing screen time for children displaying “atypical sensory processing” behaviors may help reduce these behaviors, said the study lead. (iStock)
The hope of researchers is that the study will aid clinicians who are encountering young patients with sensory issues, she said.
“For young children who are experiencing symptoms associated with atypical sensory processing, clinicians may wish to inquire about the children’s screen viewing habits,” Heffler said.
Parents and clinicians who are seeing these types of behaviors may want to try eliminating screen time in favor of “social interaction and play,” said the expert.
“There is emerging evidence that markedly reducing screen time and increasing socially engaging activities in young children with autism, for example, is associated with reduction of autism-related symptoms, including the sensory-related symptoms of restricted/repetitive behavior,” she added.
What’s a healthy amount of daily screen time for kids?
Per its website, the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages any use of media for children younger than age 2, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
For kids ages 2 years and older, the organization recommends capping screen time at two hours per day.
Early access by kids to screens is associated with “atypical sensory processing,” according to a just-published study from Drexel University. (iStock)
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) outlines specific guidelines for each age group on its website.
For babies up to 18 months, it recommends limiting screen use to video chatting with an adult.
Between 18 and 24 months, its guidelines are to use screens only for educational programming.
For kids between 2 and 5 years old, the AACAP recommends a limit of one hour per weekday and three hours on weekends for any non-educational screen time.
It does not specify an hourly limit for ages 6 and older but does recommend encouraging healthy habits and limiting screen-based activities.
“To be honest and point-blank, the least amount of screen time is healthy for children,” Dr. Zeyad Baker, a pediatric physician with Baker Health in New Jersey, previously told Fox News Digital.
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However, he noted that it gets trickier for parents to moderate when kids need to do homework online, and he said the quality of screen time comes into play when setting limits.
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Research continues to uncover new details on how fasting may help extend life.
A new study published in the journal Nature Communications investigated how intermittent fasting can boost longevity in small worms often used in aging research.
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared worms that were fed normally to those that underwent a 24-hour fast in early adulthood and were then fed again, according to a press release.
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The scientists measured a variety of factors, including stored fat, gene activity related to fat metabolism and lifespan.
The results showed that the life-boosting benefit did not depend on the fasting itself but on the body’s behavior after eating again.
Experts say sustainability is key when choosing a long-term weight-loss strategy. (iStock)
Study lead Peter Douglas, associate professor of molecular biology and a member of the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine at UT Southwestern, suggested that these discoveries “shift the focus toward a neglected side of the metabolic coin – the re-feeding phase.”
“Our data suggest that the health-promoting effects of intermittent fasting are not merely a product of the fast itself, but are dependent on how the metabolic machinery recalibrates during the subsequent transition back to a fed state,” he said.
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“Our findings bridge a gap between lipid metabolism and aging research,” he added. “By targeting aging, the single greatest risk factor for human disease, we move beyond treating isolated conditions toward a preventive model of medicine that enhances quality of life for all individuals.”
Lauri Wright, director of nutrition programs at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, called this a “high-quality” study that adds an “important nuance to how we think about fasting and longevity.”
Intermittent fasting typically involves limiting meals to an eight-hour daily window or fasting every other day. (iStock)
The benefits of the refeeding phase after fasting were “especially interesting,” Wright, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“The researchers showed that longevity was linked to the body’s ability to turn off fat breakdown after fasting, allowing cells to restore energy balance,” she reiterated.
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“From a scientific standpoint, that’s a meaningful shift because it suggests fasting is not just about burning fat, but about metabolic flexibility.”
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Fasting may support longevity through triggering metabolic switching, enhancing cellular repair and stress resistance and improving markers like insulin sensitivity, research shows.
Limitations and cautions
Although this study provides “important insight” on the power of refeeding, Wright noted that the findings should be approached with caution, as the study was done on worms and cannot always be translated to humans.
“Additionally, it explains how a process might work in a controlled lab condition rather than real-world eating behaviors,” she added as a limitation. “Finally, the study is short-term and doesn’t give us the long-term translation on lifespan outcomes.”
The review found intermittent fasting was barely more effective than doing nothing, according to the study authors. (iStock)
Wright cautioned that fasting is “not a magic solution for longevity, and how you eat overall matters more than when you eat.”
“I advise, first and foremost, to focus on diet quality, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and minimally processed foods,” she said.
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For those who are considering fasting, it’s better to stick with a moderate plan — like a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast — rather than going to extremes, Wright said. After fasting, she recommends focusing on well-balanced meals.
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Several groups of people should be cautioned against fasting, according to Wright, including those with diabetes who are on insulin or hypoglycemic medications, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a history of eating disorders and older adults at risk of malnutrition.
Anyone considering intermittent fasting should consult with a doctor before starting.
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More than three million people travel to undergo cosmetic surgery each year, statistics show — but the potential savings come at a cost.
Most people opting to pursue this so-called “medical tourism” are chasing budget-friendly price tags.
International surgeries, such as hair transplants in Turkey, can cost as little as $4,000 to $5,000 compared to $20,000 to $30,000 in the U.S., but often come with extreme risks, according to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian of California.
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The doctor recently joined Lisa Brady on the “The FOX News Rundown” podcast to discuss the rising trend of medical tourism. One of the biggest risks, she said, is the lack of safety regulations in popular destinations like Mexico and Turkey.
As demand spikes in these medical tourism “mills,” there have been reports of non-medically trained staff performing procedures like hair transplants.
Most people opting to pursue “medical tourism” are chasing budget-friendly price tags. (iStock)
“I’ve heard that they [international clinics] are even recruiting people who maybe were taxi drivers and then putting them through their own training program … to become hair transplant technicians,” Nazarian said. “That’s how high the demand has become.”
In the U.S., medical school graduates are granted a “physician and surgeon” license, which means doctors — including pediatricians or OB-GYNs — can legally perform cosmetic surgeries, even if they didn’t receive specialized training for those procedures during residency, Nazarian noted.
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Instead of pinching pennies, the doctor recommended paying whatever amount is necessary to ensure quality treatment.
“People think of it as, you know, going to the mall. … It’s surgery, and surgery has risks,” she said. “You need to be with someone who not only can perform a beautiful surgery, but who can handle possible complications well.”
“You need to ask them: ‘What was your residency training in? And if you wanted to, would you be allowed to do this procedure in a hospital?’”
Aftercare is another critical factor in the success and safety of a cosmetic procedure, as the doctor emphasized that 20% of a surgical result depends on post-operative care.
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This can be difficult or even impossible to manage when a doctor is in a different time zone, she cautioned, or if the clinic disappears shortly after the procedure.
Nazarian also noted the importance of addressing the psychological component of plastic surgery, noting that no procedure will fix underlying unhappiness. The doctor said she uses screening questionnaires to ensure that patients are truly seeking self-improvement rather than a “cure” for deeper issues.
International surgeries, such as hair transplants in Turkey, can cost as little as $4,000 to $5,000 compared to $20,000 to $30,000 in the U.S., but often come with extreme risks. (iStock)
“If you’re not already generally very content with your life, a knife in my hand is not going to bring you there,” Nazarian said.
“The analogy I always give is you don’t want a paisley couch — you want a neutral couch and you can put paisley pillows on it,” she said, noting that a procedure should “make you look normal, God-given, athletic. And then you can change your clothes when the trends come and go.”
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Samuel Golpanian, M.D., a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, said he has also seen an increasing number of patients undergoing cosmetic procedures abroad, sometimes with “devastating consequences.”
“The key is being extremely careful before embarking on this journey.”
“I’ve seen a wide range of complications, including infections, poor wound healing, significant scarring and tissue necrosis (skin death),” he told Fox News Digital. “These complications often lead to prolonged pain, ongoing medical problems, and significant additional costs to repair the damage.”
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Golpanian said he’s treated patients who received unsafe or non-medical-grade injectable materials, which can lead to serious long-term health issues.
One surgeon said he’s treated patients who received unsafe or non-medical-grade injectable materials, which can lead to serious long-term health issues. (iStock)
“I’ve also seen damage to underlying structures, asymmetry and results that are extremely difficult — sometimes impossible — to correct.”
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“That said, I’ve also seen some good outcomes, so it’s not all bad,” he noted. “The key is being extremely careful before embarking on this journey.”
Quick tips for safe ‘medical tourism’
Fully vet the surgeon. “Most surgeons will provide information about their education and training, but it’s important not to accept these claims at face value,” Golpanian said. “Verify them directly by contacting the institutions where they trained.”
Ask for references from prior patients. Ideally, it’s best to get references from U.S.-based patients who can speak candidly about both their experience and their results, the surgeonsaid.
Think beyond the cost. Golpanian emphasized the adage “you get what you pay for.” “Cost should take a back seat to experience, training, judgment and proven results,” he advised.
Be cautious about relying on before-and-after photos. These can be selective or even enhanced, Golpanian warned.
Keep aftercare in focus. “Make sure the practice emphasizes comprehensive follow-up care and has a clear, realistic post-operative plan in place.”
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