Other studies have come to similar conclusions, but this latest study of the impact of screen time on childhood development examined data from 2.8 million children from 64 countries. The findings were published on Sept. 28 in JAMA Pediatrics in a report titled Screen Use and Child and Adolescent Development and Mental Health Outcomes. This study found that high amounts of screen time for children can hurt academic performance, language development, and cause symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It caused mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, and caused “socio-emotional” problems including aggression and “peer problems.” According to this study, the impact of heavy screen use is comparable to the impact of a child being born prematurely.

In May, the office of the U.S. Surgeon General issued a 42-page report titled, U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory: Surgeon General’s Warning on the Harms of Screen Use, notifying parents of warning signs of overuse of screens by children and tips for dealing with any problem. However, its main thrust was to encourage everyone—young and old—to “live beyond the confines of screens.”