The majority of 17-month-old babies in Quebec use a screen every day: study

A Quebec Statistics Institute Study found that the majority of babies under 17 months use a screen every day. (Gerald Herbert / The Associated Press)

Screens have found their way into families and are now an integral part of everyday life. Even under the age of two, babies in Quebec are using screens every day. Toddlers from low-income households use screens more frequently, according to a report by the Quebec statistics institute (ISQ) published on Thursday.

On weekdays, a quarter of babies aged around a year and a half spend an average of an hour or more a day in front of a screen, and this rate rises by 35 per cent at weekends. This proportion is higher among children living in low-income households than others, both on weekdays (42) and at weekends (47).

Children who live with an older child are also more likely than others to spend at least one hour a day in front of screens.

On the weekend, 37 per cent of toddlers living with an older child are in front of a screen for an hour or more, which is five percentage points more than toddlers who do not live with an older child.

The ISQ report is based on the “Growing Up in Quebec” study, which will follow more than 4,000 children born in Quebec in 2020-2021 into adulthood.

The results show that television is the type of screen most used by toddlers, with around 44 per cent of 17-month-olds watching television every day, and 20 per cent using a mobile phone every day. Among other devices, 3.4 per cent of toddlers use a tablet or other mobile device every day, and less than one per cent go on the computer every day.

A great deal of scientific research suggests that people should reduce their screen time before bedtime, not least because blue light is harmful to sleep. The ISQ report shows that nine per cent of babies watch television programs, videos or films every day before going to bed, and six per cent watch them every day at mealtimes.

Parents' reasons for their child's use of screens vary widely.

Around 21 per cent say they use screens to entertain or please their baby; 16 per cent use screens for learning purposes; 19 per cent use screens to keep their child occupied while they do something else; and six per cent use screens often or very often to calm their child.

Some scientific recommendations are stricter than others as to the maximum screen time a child should be exposed to, but there seems to be some consensus that as a general rule, before the age of two a child should avoid all screen use.

According to the Quebec government, to promote the development of pre-school children, children aged two to five should spend no more than one hour a day in front of a screen, and for children aged six to 12, screen time can rise to two hours a day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 5, 2024.

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