Early Infancy and School Entry: Screens Linked to Later Learning Gaps

A 502-child longitudinal study finds that screen exposure matters as much by when it happens as how much is viewed. Elevated screen time at age 1 (infancy) and around age 6 (school entry) predicted poorer academic performance at age 9 and weaker working memory at 10.5, while exposure at ages 2–3 showed no lasting effects. The infancy window shows the strongest risk due to displacement of face-to-face interaction; even small population-level shifts toward more screen time could lower overall learning outcomes. Implications point to early-life limits and further research on content, devices, and parental co-viewing.