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29 years
For how many total hours can a two year old watch TV or IPAD per day?
Jan 8, 2016
2nd opinion

Dr. Zakia Dimassi Pediatrics
When it comes to kids and iPads, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no more than two hours of total screen time (such as TV, computers, and video games) per day for kids two years and older, and ideally to completely avoid screens for children younger than two years of age. To make this is implemented more easily, keep screens out of your child’s bedroom since they are stimulating and can interfere with sleep, monitor your child’s viewing and apps to make sure content is appropriate, and talk to your child about the programs and apps she’s using. 

Though research still has not yet established the downsides or benefits of iPads for kids, there is no evidence that using an iPad will harm a child's physical or cognitive development as long as it's used in moderation.
The pros of using an iPad in children have been documented. Mainly they can provide real educational benefits for young children. Research found that certain apps may improve children’s vocabulary and math skills. There is also evidence that in children with cognitive delays iPad apps can enhance language development and social interaction.

While too much screen time is always a concern for parents since it has been linked to attention and conduct problems in children, a 2013 study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that digital games (which are interactive and can foster creativity) seem to affect children differently than TV (which is not typically interactive). The researchers discovered that while watching too much TV slightly increased a child’s risk for conduct problems, age-appropriate digital games did not produce the same effect.

Keep in mind that although iPads carry a number of benefits for kids, that doesn't mean you should let your child use an iPad for hours, since that’ll limit her/his imagination.

Also be aware that iPad use should not substitute other toys, physical activity, free play, and face-to-face social interaction. A screen offers a limited sensory environment and no physical exertion. Your child can’t feel an app the way she/he can feel a toy physically by looking, touching and sometimes hearing - the use of these senses simultaneously enhances the development of the centres of these senses in the brain. Physical activity equally promotes your child's development. All of these real-world activities offer rich opportunities for your baby to use her/his body and experience her/his environment and human relationships.
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