17/06/2025
An important post by Dr Moien Khan, Clinical Associate Professor and Consultant Family Physician.
Screen Exposure in Childhood: The Silent Architect of Lifelong Dysregulation
We often think screen time is just a modern parenting tool.
But science reveals something far more profound: early, excessive screen use is silently reshaping children’s brains.
As a physician I have seen a rise in children having increased ADHD, Digital addiction and Anxiety
The rise in anxiety, inattention, irritability, and learning delays in children isn’t random.
It’s the downstream effect of screen-induced neurodevelopmental dysregulation emerging quietly, but powerfully.
Here’s what’s happening beneath the surface as per clinical research:
→ Dopamine hijack — Fast-paced content overstimulates reward circuits, lowering motivation for real-world tasks
→ Prefrontal suppression — Excess use impairs executive function: focus, planning, and self-regulation
→ Sleep disruption — Blue light suppresses melatonin, disturbing deep sleep and growth hormone release
→ Neuroplasticity misuse — The brain wires for instant gratification, not attention or creativity
→ Delayed social learning — Less face-to-face play weakens empathy and resilience
→ Visual–motor underdevelopment — Less outdoor play and movement affect sensory-motor integration
The long-term consequences are significant:
→ Emotional dysregulation
→ Learning difficulties
→ Impulse control disorders
→ ADHD-like symptoms
→ Digital addiction
→ Poor metabolic health
→ Increased risk of depression and anxiety by adolescence
But here’s the good news:
The brain is plastic. Regulation and resilience can be rebuilt.
We can start today:
→ Structured screen time — especially critical before age 6
→ Screen-free zones — at meals, in bedrooms, during outdoor time
→ Co-view and connect — narrate, discuss, don’t just hand over the device
→ Anchor real-world routines — storytelling, nature, physical play, face-to-face contact
→ Be the example — our habits are their blueprint
Healthy childhood isn’t about banning screens.
It’s about protecting the neurological foundations for empathy, attention, and long-term mental health.
Because what we wire today… is who they become tomorrow.
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