Most 17-month-old babies use a screen every day in Quebec: study

Screens have become part of family dynamics and are now an integral part of everyday life.

In fact, babies under the age of two use screen time daily in Quebec.

However, toddlers in low-income households use screens more frequently, according to a report from the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) published on Thursday.

On weekdays, a quarter of babies aged about one and a half spend an average of one hour or more every day in front of a screen, and this rate increases to 35 per cent on weekends. This proportion is higher among children living in low-income households than among others, both on weekdays (42 per cent versus 21 per cent) and on weekends (47 per cent versus 32 per cent).

Children who live with an older sibling are also more likely to spend at least an hour a day in front of screens. On weekends, 37 per cent of toddlers living with an older sibling spend an hour or more in front of a screen, which is five per cent higher than toddlers without an older sibling.

The ISQ report was based on a study called “Growing up in Quebec” – which will follow over 4,000 children who were born in Quebec from 2020-2021 into adulthood. 

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

There is a lot of scientific research that suggests people should reduce their screen time before bedtime, especially because blue light is harmful to sleep.

The ISQ report shows that nine per cent of babies watch TV shows, videos, or movies every day before going to bed and six per cent watch them every day during mealtimes.

Parents’ justification for their child’s use of screens varies widely. About 21 per cent say they use them to entertain or please their baby; 16 per cent use screens for learning purposes; 19 per cent 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 about the maximum amount of screen time a child should be exposed to, but there seems to be some consensus; a child under the age of two should avoid all screen use.

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

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–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews