New study says increased screen time linked to ADHD in preschoolers

If you tend to stick to hard and fast time-limited screen time rules with your preschooler, it might actually be a good thing. According to a recent study at the University of Alberta, kids by the age of 5 who spent two hours or more looking at a screen each day were almost 8 times more likely to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD compared to kids who spent 30 minutes a day or less.

Related: The ultimate guide to digital parenting 

Researchers gathered data from parents of the children at their 3-year old and 5-year old check-ups, and also conducted behavioral assessments with the 5-year olds. The study did not establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the two because as you might guess, there are a myriad other factors that could be contributing to the child’s diagnosis. However, considering these findings and the AAP’s recommendations, it’s definitely worth taking a look at how long your kids are on screens, and perhaps instituting screen time rules (and even some screen time management strategies) to help guide your kids towards good digital habits and citizenship from an early age.