BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Children under 2 should not be exposed to gadgets with screens, including smartphones, computers or video games, the health ministry said in a new set of guidelines.

The recommendations state that children aged 2 to 6 should be restricted to just one hour of screen time per day, while children aged 6 to 18 should limit usage to two hours a day.

The guidelines were developed by the Child Development Centre (CDC), in consultation with the Paediatric Department and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Head of the CDC, Dr Hjh Mawarni Hj Abdul Hamid, said research shows that excessive screen time had negative effects on child development, including speech delay; stunted development of motor skills; attention deficit issues; hyperactivity; and behavioral problems such as aggression and poor emotional regulation.

“In the first year of life, a child’s brain makes a million connections every second. This is the most important foundation in a child’s cognitive and socio-emotional development,” she said during a roadshow Sunday.

“The connection between brain cells, or neurons, which number in the millions, is stimulated by the process of ‘serve and return’, or give and take between children and the people around them.”

Through talk, play and reading, brain cells can be stimulated to make those connections very quickly, Dr Hjh Mawarni explained, adding that 90% of learning occurs during the first five years of a child’s life.

More children facing developmental issues

The CDC head said the number of children referred to the Centre had more than doubled in the past 13 years, increasing from 400 children in 2010, to 957 in 2023.

Around 55% of these children are referred for speech delay, while 25% are referred showing signs of autism.

Brunei averages around 6,300 live births a year, and 16% of those children end up being referred to the CDC for developmental issues, Dr Hjh Mawarni said, adding that the statistics do not include children referred to the Kuala Belait hospital.

MoH conducted a small study on screen usage among children under 5, interviewing 100 parents at government-run Maternal and Child Health Clinics.

Results showed that 44% of children watch TV every day, while 29% of children use smartphones and 25% use tablets every day.

The study also found that 33% of children under 5 have their own tablets; 29% have their own smartphones; and 27% of children have their own TV.

When asked about screen time on weekdays, parents said 33% of children are looking at screens for one to two hours a day. About 21% of children under 5 look at screens for more than two hours a day.

On the weekends, the amount of screen time jumped — 6% of children were using screens for more than four hours a day.

Another alarming finding was that at least once a week, 99% of children reach for screens within half an hour after waking up. Similarly, 93% of children use screens in the half hour before going to bed.

“While the research does not prove a direct correlation between screen habits and the rising number of children experiencing developmental problems — particularly speech delay — we cannot afford to remain silent without doing something to increase awareness, especially among parents, about the dangers of screen usage among children,” said Dr Hjh Mawarni.

She added that a large part of the problem is that parents are also “addicted” to their screens.

“We hope that with the screen usage guidelines launched today, parents will be more aware of their responsibility to meet their children’s needs, and not let screens become a barrier to communication.”