Does “screen time” on Smartphones, laptops, tablets etc affect my child’s brain? If so, how? Is she losing anything, or not developing some skills because she’s on YouTube and Netflix and Facetime so often? How much screen time is OK, and at what age? Listen to this show with Dr. Mary Burke, psychiatrist in San Francisco who has studied, written and lectured about these questions. One crucial skill everyone needs is the ability to read emotions from facial expressions, and that is based upon face-to-face time with parents mainly. When children are in an unresponsive social environment (parent or sitter or sib on screen, not interacting), that alters the expression of some genes and critical pathways are undeveloped. Does it matter? You bet it does! Listen up !

What can replace screen time? Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood  has great ideas, check it out !