You’ve probably seen it: a child throwing a tantrum is handed a screen, and suddenly, it’s as if someone pressed the mute button. Peace returns instantly, like magic. But what if this ‘magic’ is actually rewiring our children’s brains, and not in a good way?
Neuroscientists, psychologists and educators (Mupalla et al., 2023; Neumann et al., 2025) are increasingly sounding the alarm about the “relentless speed” and “excessive volume” of screen content children are exposed to every day in our homes and classrooms.
The issue is not solely the length of screen time. It’s also about screen tempo: how quickly images change, how sudden the sounds are and how fast-moving stories can overwhelm the brain. Multiply these factors with the number of hours a day children spend in front of devices and we may be creating the perfect storm for their brain development.
Let’s rewind to where it all started.
A long-haul flight. A desperate parent. A child handed an iPad. Silence. Stillness. Relief.
But what looked like peace might have been something else entirely. Was the child captivated by a story or overwhelmed by sensory overload? Was s/he learning or just shutting down?
Recent research (Guellai et al., 2022) show that young children’s brains, which are still growing and developing, are not designed to handle the constant rush of images and sounds that fast-moving screen content delivers, especially when they are watching for long periods.
Children take longer than adults to make sense of what they see and hear. They also need routines and calmness to feel safe. When screen content moves too quickly or they are exposed to it for too long, it can overwhelm their brains and make it harder for them to focus, to learn or to relax.
And when this happens, their nervous systems can switch into a state of hyperarousal (Nakshine, 2022). This is the fight-or-flight response but without the screaming or running away. We may just see a motionless child, their eyes fixed on the screen, but their body is under hidden stress. On the outside, they may look calm. But inside? It is chaos!
“Screens have become pacifiers, teachers, entertainers and stand-in parents. But that convenience comes with responsibility”
Picture it: a child lying on the sofa, iPad glowing just a few centimetres from their face. On the outside, they seem quiet and absorbed, but inside, their brain is struggling to keep up with all the fast images, bright colours and loud sounds.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt (2024) explains that when content is fast, unpredictable and constantly stimulating, it can set off stress reactions in children’s developing brains. When this kind of stimulation becomes part of their everyday screen use, it is no longer just brief excitement; it may lead to lasting changes in how their brains function.
And the consequences go deep. Prolonged stress in early childhood has been tied to anxiety, attention disorders, poor emotional regulation and even altered brain development (Smith and Pollak, 2020). Excessive exposure to fast-paced content does not just wear children out physically; it wires them differently mentally.
But here is the twist.
What if screen time is doing both harm and good? Some children may find it mentally stimulating and engaging, at least in moderation. Others may be quietly falling apart. Even when watching the same show, two children may experience entirely different neurological responses.
That is why this issue matters. It is not about banning screens or pretending we can raise children without technology. It is about understanding what their brains can cope with and when too much becomes harmful.
Because let’s face it, screens are not going anywhere. They have become pacifiers, teachers, entertainers and stand-in parents.
But that convenience comes with responsibility. We need to consider what kind of content children are watching, how quickly it moves and how long they spend in front of it.
Imagine a future where content creators, app designers and even parents understand the limits of a child’s developing brain; where screen time is paced and purposeful; where, instead of tuning children out, screens help tune their minds in: to stories, to learning, to themselves.
We are not there yet. But if we keep ignoring what excessive screen time and hyper-speed content may be doing, we may find out the hard way.
So next time you hand your child an iPad, ask yourself: are they learning… or just zoning out?
And if their brain could talk, what would it be screaming?
Erika Galea, director and trainer of the Educational Neuroscience Hub Europe (Malta), works to raise awareness of evidence-based strategies aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and learning, while also placing students and adults at the centre of lifelong learning. E-mail erikagalea@educationalneurosciencehub.com.
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