Loud Screens, Noise, and Stress: The Impact on Young Kids and Their Development
Children Witness Political Upheaval on Social Media and Television amongst Adult Romanian Disputes
In today's chaotic world, kids aren't just enduring political dramas and heated debates from the adult sphere - they're confronting them right in their own homes.[1]. A recent study by ParentEd reveals that children, especially those aged 8-12, are getting increasingly agitated due to the noise produced by our constant distractions. With kids glued to phones and tablets for 5.5 hours daily and televisions always blasting in the background, even when no one's watching, it's a noisy, tumultuous environment for them.
In this age of endless noise and ceaseless screens, children's ability to learn, play, and sleep peacefully is compromised. Experts warn that children exposed to television for 2 hours daily have 6 times the risk of language development delays, as shown by studies.[2] In Romania, adults aged 35 to 55 tend to watch television together with family and prefer TV news.
Renowned neuropsychiatrist Dr. Daniel J. Siegel from the United States cautions, "Experiences actually change the physical structure of the brain." Every minute spent glued to chaotic content on screens, every electoral scandal on TV, affects children's neurons.[3] Over 50% of parents surveyed in another study stated they observed concerns in their children related to political issues presented in the media.
The tumult inside homes – from news shows on the television to noisy household appliances – is compounded by the noise from the external environment. Children are more vulnerable to noise than adults due to their developmental stage and limited control over filtering information.
According to ParentEd's analysis of studies, excessive noise can impact:
- Learning: Children can't concentrate in class, memory deteriorates, and test scores suffer.
- Play: Background television prevents them from focusing on toys.
- Sleep: They wake up often, stressed and fatigued, even if they're not aware of it.
- Stress: Their bodies remain on high alert due to the sound chaos.
Children also have their share of screen time: Kids aged 8 to 12 spend approximately 5.5 hours daily on devices.[4] Children between 12 and 24 months who spend 2 hours daily on screens have 6 times the risk of speech delays.
To help minimize these negative effects, ParentEd recommends turning off the television when there's no one watching, limiting screen time, and creating quiet zones in the home. Dr. Daniel Siegel suggests the RAIN method to reduce anxiety: Recognize, Accept, Investigate, and Not identify with your anxiety when defining who you are.
The renowned specialist will visit Bucharest between October 4-5 to deliver a conference at ParentEd Fest 2025. The second edition of Romania's largest parenting event features world-class experts in child-rearing: Dr. Laura Markham, Dr. Shefali, Dr. Gordon Neufeld, Maggie Dent, Tamara Neufeld Strijack, and Dr. Daniel Siegel.
Tickets for ParentED Fest 2025 can be purchased via the IaBilet.ro network. The event is supported by Lidl Romānia, Sanador, ThedaMar, Catena, Raiffeisen Bank, Activ, English Kids Academy, Maison Dadoo, and other partners.
*This is a Partner Content.
[1] HealthyChildren.org - How Noise Affects Children[2] dataintelligence.ro - Focus on Romanians: New Media Adoption[3] PMC - Contributing Factors to the Rise in Adolescent Anxiety and Associated Mental Health Disorders: A Narrative Review of Current Literature[4] PMC - Contributing Factors to the Rise in Adolescent Anxiety and Associated Mental Health Disorders: A Narrative Review of Current Literature
- Engaging in science and mental health research could reveal the long-term effects of excessive screen time and noise on children's health-and-wellness, particularly in areas like learning, play, sleep, and stress management during their critical developmental stages.
- Parenting, as a central part of a child's life, should encourage the creation of health-and-wellness focused environments that minimize screen time, noise, and stress, promoting mental health and language development in children.
