SWEDEN URGES ZERO SCREEN TIME FOR TODDLERS AND STRICT LIMITS FOR OLDER CHILDREN

Tue 03 September 2024:

Sweden’s Public Health Agency has issued new guidelines urging parents to keep children under the age of two away from all digital media and television. For kids aged two to five, the agency recommends limiting screen time to a maximum of one hour per day, while children aged six to 12 should spend no more than one to two hours in front of screens daily.

The agency also advises that teenagers aged 13 to 18 restrict their screen time to two to three hours a day. Public Health Minister Jakob Forssmed emphasized the pervasive influence of smartphones and screens on children’s lives, noting that Swedish teens aged 13 to 16 currently average six and a half hours of screen time daily, outside of school hours.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

“Sleep Crisis” Among Swedish Youth Linked to Excessive Screen Use, Warns Minister

Forssmed expressed concern that excessive screen time leaves little room for physical activity, communal engagement, and sufficient sleep. He highlighted a “sleep crisis” among Swedish youth, with over half of 15-year-olds not getting adequate rest. The agency also recommended keeping screens out of bedrooms at night, citing studies linking excessive screen use to poor sleep, depression, and body dissatisfaction.

In response to these findings, the Swedish government is exploring a potential ban on smartphones in primary schools, aiming to mitigate the negative impacts of screen use on children’s health and well-being.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

______________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22