In recent years, a recurring phenomenon has been observed: babies and toddlers who come to the office with absent or lost speech, lack of eye contact, irritability, disorganized sleep and behavior that resembles a neurodevelopmental disorder. Many parents are worried when they think about autism. But when reviewing the medical history, one key piece of information emerges: early and prolonged exposure to screens.
I would like to explain what happens in the baby’s brain in this case, why we call it “functional shutdown” and what scientific findings we find today. How a screen can “turn off” a child’s brain. This is not a literal shutdown. The brain stops moving forward, slows down processes that should be in full swing, and “disconnects” to protect itself. This happens through various mechanisms:
1. Overstimulation: Baby videos have too much light, too many scene changes, too much speed. The immature brain cannot filter this level of stimulation and is overwhelmed. If a stimulus is too intense, the brain switches off to avoid becoming even more saturated.
2. Replacement of essential stimuli: Between the ages of 0 and 4, the brain needs real looks, conversation, contact, manual play, and movement. When the screen appears, everything scrolls. Without these experiences, the brain cannot establish language, sociality, or emotional regulation.
3. Lack of Human Interaction: The screen does not look, does not interpret, does not respond. The baby learns to talk because someone looks back at him, answers him, imitates him. Without back and forth, voice networks will not activate.
4. Instant dopamine: Videos constantly produce little bursts of dopamine. The brain gets used to strong artificial stimuli and then rejects the real thing: books, toys, faces, simple games. Without interest in reality, development slows down.
5. Passive mode: In front of a screen, the child does not touch, does not explore, does not experiment. Learning becomes passive and the brain stops making new connections. This is a different kind of shutdown.
What the scientific evidence says. The research is clear and consistent:
JAMA Pediatrics 2023 study (7,097 children): 1-year-old babies with more than 4 hours of screen time per day were five times more likely to have delayed communication at age 2. Translation: The more screens, the less language.
Study 2024 (600 children aged 6 months to 3 years): More than 2 hours per day = worse language results.
Studies in preschool children: more screens = fewer words, less comprehension, more irritability, less bonding with adults.
Systematic review 2024: negative effects on language, attention, self-control, social behavior and problem solving.
Scientific conclusion: The developing brain does not mature well with early screening. Is this “off” reversible? Yes. And many times faster than you think. When parents make concrete changes: 0 to 2 years: no screens, 2 to 4 years: minimal and supervised use, screens outside of meals, during sleep and tantrums, more real play, interaction, reading and outdoors, many children return to observing, imitating, playing and learning the language after a few weeks or months.
The plasticity of the brain in early childhood is enormous.
How can you distinguish the “screen effect” from a neurodevelopmental disorder? There are two keys: If the child improves their vision, play and imitation by avoiding screens for 6-8 weeks, overexposure played a central role. If there are no changes or declines, a full assessment is required.
The message to parents would be: It’s not about blame. It’s about information. A baby doesn’t need technology. It takes faces, voices, contact and the real world. Because no video can replace what a child’s brain needs to shine, grow and connect.
A child doesn’t learn by looking at a screen: learn by looking at yourself.
Specialist in neurodevelopment in children and adolescents
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