Prolonged digital screen use linked to higher chance of autism symptoms in toddlers: NUH study

A new study links prolonged screen time in toddlers to increased autism symptoms, highlighting concerns about exceeding screen time guidelines. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SINGAPORE – Toddlers who spend a longer time in front of digital screens are more likely to exhibit symptoms of autism, according to new research, which also found that Singaporean families often exceed national screen time guidelines.

Researchers from the National University Hospital (NUH) have found that prolonged exposure to screens has the most pronounced effect on how toddlers communicate with others.

Parents here have observed that their children are not pointing at objects to show interest, are not showing their toys to them, or are failing to respond when their name is called.

These behaviours appear in the screening questionnaire for autism and indicate a higher probability of a child having the condition. However, a formal diagnosis can be made only by a specialist.

The local study, the first of its kind here on the relationship between screen time exposure and autism symptoms, was published on Oct 8, 2025, in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Conducted between August 2020 and November 2022, the study looked at 5,336 children of all ethnic groups in Singapore, aged 17 to 24 months, who had visited one of seven polyclinics in the west of Singapore for a milestone check-up.