For other families, screen use is not a matter of preference but a medical issue.<\/p>\n
Suzanne and her husband, Craig, from Sully in the Vale of Glamorgan, say their perspectives shifted dramatically after their daughter, Amayah, was diagnosed with severe myopia, external<\/a> (short-sightedness) at just three-and-a-half years old.<\/p>\n “It will always get worse. It will never get better,” Suzanne says. <\/p>\n “Phones, tablets – anything close-up will make it worse.”<\/p>\n The diagnosis led to an immediate overhaul of the family’s routines. <\/p>\n Close screens were removed entirely and outdoor time increased significantly following medical advice recommending at least two hours outside a day.<\/p>\n “We were those parents at one point,” Suzanne says. <\/p>\n “But since the diagnosis we’ve seen a complete change in Amayah. <\/p>\n “She doesn’t even ask for the devices any more.” <\/p>\n The children’s commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, said she hopes parents take a sensible approach to screen time and social media, including leading by example “so that it doesn’t interfere with the celebrations and is balanced with family interaction and physical activity.”<\/p>\n