"Healthy" use

Smart regulation of screen time: Tips for parents

When children spend too much time in front of the screen, parents often feel guilty.(Bild: Firn/stock.adobe.com)

One of the biggest concerns of parents is that their children are spending too much time in front of a screen and potentially damaging their health. But how can TVs, smartphones and the like be used "correctly"?

According to the official recommendations of the World Health Organization, children between the ages of two and five should spend no more than one hour a day in front of a screen and children under the age of two should not spend any time in front of a screen at all. Otherwise, according to the WHO, there is not only a risk of obesity, but also sleep disorders and even a loss of cognitive and social development.

Young children under the age of two should ideally not spend any time in front of a screen at all.(Bild: victormro - stock.adobe.com)

However, the UK's Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health argues that it is "impossible" to set "comprehensive guidelines or limits" on screen time, as its effect depends heavily on the context and the evidence is uncertain. But are there ways and means for our little ones to use televisions, smartphones or tablets in a proper, i.e. "healthy" way?