Study shows brains of kids who have limited screen time

CBS 46 has published an article (from CNN) on 16 Jan 2020 titled 'Study shows brains of kids who have limited screen time' available here:

Excerpts from the article:

Recent studies done by the Reading & Literacy Discovery Center of Cincinnati's Children's Hospital...  are the first studies to provide neurobiological evidence for the potential benefits of reading and the potential detriments of screen time on a preschool child's brain development.

Taking away screens and reading to our children during the formative years of birth to age 5 boosts brain development. We all know that's true, but now science can convince us with startling images.

This is the brain of a preschooler who is often read to by a caregiver [see video here]. The red areas in this scan show a growth in organized white matter in the language and literacy areas of the child's brain, areas that will support learning in school.

This is the brain of a preschooler who likely spends an average of two hours a day playing on screens [see video here]. The blue in this image shows massive underdevelopment and disorganization of white matter in the same areas needed to support learning in school.

"This is important because the brain is developing the most rapidly in the first five years," said lead author Dr. John Hutton, a pediatrician and clinical researcher at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

"Kids who have more stimulating experiences that organize the brain are at a huge advantage when they get to school," Hutton said. "And it's really harder and harder for kids to catch up if they arrive behind."

Increasing and organizing white matter is critical to the brain's ability to communicate across its various parts, boosting its functionality and ability to learn. Without a well-developed communication system, the brain's processing speed slows and learning suffers.