Rome, November 19 (Adnkronos Health) – Children sleep less, move less, talk less. And they are more anxious and alone. It’s an invisible consequence of digital life entering homes and games too quickly. And new research shows how real this ‘price’ is in early childhood: 30 minutes more digital device use per day can double the risk of language delays in children under 2 years of age; each additional hour of screen time reduces sleep time by about 15 minutes in children between 3 and 5 years old; More than 50 minutes of screen time per day is associated with a greater risk of hypertension in older children. And it takes between 3 and 6 years to be overweight.
The Italian Society of Pediatrics (Sip) returns to the topic of children and digital with updated data and stricter recommendations: every year gained without digital is an investment in children’s mental, emotional, cognitive and relational health. New data and new recommendations, developed by the Sip Commission on Digital Addictions, were presented today, 19 November 2025, in the Senate at the State General of Pediatrics 2025 dedicated to the theme ‘Digital child’, on the occasion of World Day of Children and Adolescents. This initiative, promoted by Senator Marco Meloni, brings together institutions, pediatricians, psychologists, media representatives and digital platforms to reflect on the opportunities and risks of growth in the digital and artificial intelligence era.
Following the first recommendations in 2018 and 2019, Sip conducted a new systematic review of the international literature, analyzing more than 6,800 studies, 78 of which were included in the final analysis. This research updates the evidence regarding the impact of smartphone, tablet, video game, and social media use on the physical, cognitive, mental, and relational health of minors. “The experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased screen exposure among minors – explained Sip President Rino Agostiniani – with the average daily time increasing by 4-6 hours, double compared to pre-pandemic levels. This change makes it even more necessary to update previous recommendations.”
Developed by pediatricians, psychologists and experts, the new recommendations, the result of a literature review, outline a joint educational pathway for families, schools and professionals, to accompany children and adolescents towards a balanced and respectful use of developmental time. First:
1. Avoid unsupervised internet access before the age of 13 due to the risks associated with exposure to inappropriate content.
2. Delay the introduction of a personal smartphone until at least 13 years of age to prevent consequences for cognitive, emotional, and relational development.
3. As much as possible delay the use of social media, even if permitted by law.
4. Avoid using devices while eating and before sleeping.
5. Encourage outdoor activities, sports, reading and creative play.
6. Maintain constant supervision, dialogue and means of control in all age groups. Sip also recommended that it is important to promote digitally aware education in schools, while pediatricians should regularly evaluate children’s digital habits and provide preventative advice to families. The recommendations that had been issued in 2018 have been confirmed: no devices under the age of two, limit them to less than one hour a day between the ages of 2 and 5 and less than two hours after the age of 5, under adult control.
Children’s brains need time, not screens, experts warn. “Childhood is a phase of extraordinary vulnerability and growth: the brain continues to shape and reorganize itself throughout childhood and adolescence – explains Agostiniani -. Early and prolonged digital stimulation can alter attention, learning and emotional regulation. Delaying independent access to the Internet and the age of the first smartphone until at least 13 years of age is an investment in health, balance and relationships. We must give children time back for boredom, activity, play and sleep. The presence and example of adults remains the first form of prevention digital”.
Sip’s advice is ‘less screens, more real experience’. “In children under 13, excessive screen use is associated with language delays, decreased attention span and worsening sleep quality. In teenagers we see increased anxiety, isolation, social media addiction and loss of self-esteem – explains Elena Bozzola, coordinator of the Sip Digital Addictions Commission – Every hour spent in front of a screen is an hour taken away from play, sport and creativity. There is no need to demonize technology, but to teach how to use it moderately and mindfully. More real experiences, less digital supervision: this is the real educational challenge right now.”
Sis’s review confirms that excess screen time impacts multiple aspects of health: obesity and cardiovascular risk, cognitive development, sleep, mental health, digital addiction, vision, cyberbullying, and online sexuality.
Obesity: according to some studies – highlighted by Sip – under 13 years of age, even exposure of more than one hour a day can be a risk factor, while screen time of more than two hours a day increases the risk of overweight or obesity in teenagers by 67% compared to peers with lower exposure, also due to the influence of a sedentary lifestyle and digital food marketing. Cognitive development: Early exposure to digital devices can disrupt learning and language processes. Neuroimaging studies show changes in areas of the brain associated with attention and comprehension. Sleep: 89% of teenagers – according to experts – sleep with their cell phones in the bedroom, thereby leading to chronic sleep deprivation. Mental health: Intensive device use is associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem. Teenagers are more susceptible to the effects of social comparison and ‘Fear of Missing Out’.
Digital addiction: prevalence of internet gaming disorder varies from 1.7% to 10.7%; Problematic smartphone use – according to pediatricians’ observations – affects up to 20% of young people, with brain changes similar to those observed in nicotine addiction. That’s not all. There are also vision health problems: cases of vision fatigue, dry eyes and premature myopia are increasing, which are exacerbated by poor exposure to natural light. Cyberbullying and online violence also deserve special attention, as this increase occurs even among the youngest children (+26% between the ages of 10 and 13) – Sip emphasizes – Victims have three times the risk of having suicidal ideation. Exposure to violent or sexually explicit content increases aggression and emotional distress. Finally, Sexuality and online pornography: early exposure to online pornography is increasing – experts warn – and is associated with risky sexual behavior.
Hence the ‘7 Ps that help you thrive’, namely Sip’s recommendations for healthy digital use: 1. delay digital exposure as much as possible; 2. Protect the body and mind to protect cognitive development, vision and sleep; 3. promote real experiences (games, sports, art, music) to strengthen empathy; 4. maintain adult centrality, which means communicating and setting an example with balanced digital behavior; 5. establish clear rules, set firm boundaries (no devices in the bedroom); 6. Participate in digital education, talk openly about cyberbullying, pornography, violence and digital addiction; 7. Prevent risks and addiction. Technology is a wonderful tool, but it must enter children’s lives at the right time, when they are mature enough to manage it. Accompanying them on this journey is a shared responsibility between families, schools and pediatricians.
