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The U.S. surgeon general’s office wants you to crack down on screen time for your kids, according to a newly-published advisory.Released on Wednesday, May 20, even as President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general awaits confirmation, the "Harms of Screen Use" bulletin warns that children and teens are spending more time on their digital devices than sleeping or attending school.The report emphasizes much of what is already known — and some that is still being studied — about the detriments of too much screen time on developing minds. Much like the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines, it lays out both the harms and similar recommendations for parents and caregivers looking to understand and mitigate their children's use of electronic devices.The advisory links excessive and "compulsive" screen use to poor sleep and school performance, mental health issues like anxiety and depression, behavioral and social issues, substance abuse and developmental disruptions. Poorer language, educational and health outcomes follow early and frequent exposure to not only social media or phones, but also tablets, computers, games, apps and even television, it reports."Social media is only one aspect of this ongoing screen time problem. Behavior patterns involving gaming, online gambling, and other forms of virtual interaction are emerging," said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the opening to the report. "While screen use can have some benefits, the evidence of a range of risks to children’s overall mental and physical health is mounting."How parents, schools, policymakers and more can make change"Live real life" is the motto of the advisory, calling on young people and the people in their greater circles to make a push against excess screen use and replace it with "real-life" activities.A toolkit published with the report suggests that schools, health care providers and even policymakers can get involved in a series of action items, some of which include:Families creating healthy media plans that apply to both children and adults in the household.Schools implementing bell-to-bell ban policies to limit or eliminating multitasking during school hours and dedicating instructional time to media literacy.Health care providers asking questions about screen usage in annual well-child visits and suggesting healthy parameters.Policymakers passing laws that demand child safety and privacy protection and funding research about mental and physical health outcomes related to screen time.Tech companies prioritizing child safety and privacy and designing platforms and features that do so.The 'five Ds' of screen timeA general guideline for determining appropriate screen time is age, according to the report, which detailed the following parameters:Children under 18 months old should have no screen time.Children under 6 should have less than 1 hour per day.Children 6-18 should have only up to two hours daily, a significant departure from the eight-plus hours teens 13-18 currently average.The advisory also offered tips for establishing these healthier screen time habits in the form of what it called the "five Ds."Discuss healthy screen use with household members, including having young people reflect on what they do online and how it makes them feel.Do model the healthy screen use behaviors you would like to see. Be conscientious about how much time you spend on screens and what type of content you consume. When using screens, do so together.Delay screen time from the earliest age as long as possible and then establish age-appropriate limits on screen use and types of content. Different devices can be introduced at different ages.Divert and redirect attention from screens to other healthy activities, such as physical activity. Prioritize completion of tasks like chores, homework, music or sports before screen use.Disconnect from screens regularly and schedule daily screen-free time, such as a family dinner.A surgeon general advisory without a sugeron generalThe report was compiled by a series of HHS staffers in the absence of a surgeon general.Trump's current pick, breast radiologist and Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier, is awaiting a confirmation hearing. She is the third in a line of controversial nominees.Previously, Trump selected wellness and lifestyle influencer Dr. Casey Means, who faced opposition from the Senate over her lack of a current medical license and vaccine views, leading to a stalled confirmation and ultimately a withdrawal in April.Before that, he opted for Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a family physician and Fox News medical contributor. However, he pulled the pick just days before her confirmation hearing in 2025.This story has been updated to add new information.
