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Virtual Autism- Can Screen Time Cause Autism and What You Can Do

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Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

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In this episode, I dive into the topic of “virtual autism,” a term that’s been gaining attention lately.

 

Virtual autism refers to autism-like symptoms in young children that some believe are caused by excessive screen time. The thought is that autism symptoms may be reversed with less screen time.

 

I share insights on if virtual autism is real from my personal and professional experiences, including cases where parents reduced screen time, but their children’s speech and behavior didn’t improve as expected. I also talk about my own son Lucas, who loved TV as a toddler, and how we navigated that as a family.

 

Throughout this episode, I explain why balancing screen time reduction with developing other skills and interactions is important. I’ll also share guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help parents make informed decisions about screen time for their children and prevent potential virtual autism.

You’ll Learn

  • What is virtual autism?
  • Is virtual autism real, and can it be prevented? 
  • Screen time guidelines for young children with and without autism
  • What to do to prevent virtual autism.
  • What can you do if you are noticing signs of virtual autism.

What is Virtual Autism?

Virtual autism is a term that refers to autism-like symptoms in young children, believed to be caused by excessive screen time, especially before the age of three.

 

While it’s not an officially recognized medical condition, some researchers and parents have noticed that toddlers who spend a lot of time on digital devices can show signs like delayed speech, poor social interaction, and repetitive behaviors—similar to those on the autism spectrum.

 

You can learn more about the signs of autism here .

 

The idea is that these symptoms could be linked to prolonged exposure to screens and may improve or even reverse when screen time is significantly reduced.

 

However, it’s a controversial topic, and I believe we need to consider each child’s individual situation, looking at their overall engagement and environment, not just their screen habits.

virtual autism. What is virtual autism?

Impacts of Screen Time and Complications of Virtual Autism

According to research excessive screen time in children can lead to several negative outcomes that may lead assessors to believe virtual autism is present. It may impair social skills by limiting face-to-face interactions, delay language and communication development, and reduce physical activity, which can lead to health issues like obesity. Additionally, screen use before bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns, while too much exposure can contribute to attention difficulties. Lastly, certain content, such as violent media, may result in emotional and behavioral problems.

 

Screen Time Recommendations to Prevent Virtual Autism

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends limiting screen time for young children to support healthy development. For children under 18 months, screen time should be avoided except for video chatting. For ages 18 to 24 months, parents should choose high-quality educational content and watch it with their child. For children aged 2 to 5, screen time should be limited to one hour per day of high-quality programming, with parents watching alongside to help children understand and engage with what they’re seeing. High quality programming may include shows like I dicussed in this episode on Ms. Rachel where I included 9 free videos to improve speech! 

 

 

The AAP emphasizes the importance of balancing screen time with physical activity, sleep, and face-to-face interactions.

Screen Time and Virtual Autism- My experience

As a mother and a professional in the autism field, I’ve had my fair share of experiences with screen time.

 

When my son Lucas was young, he loved watching TV, especially shows like Barney and The Wiggles. At the time, my husband, who’s a physician, thought reducing his screen time might improve his development. While I understood the concern, I also realized that completely removing his favorite shows might lead to other behavioral issues, like stimming or engaging in less productive activities. So we have to be careful before removing calming activities like screen time cold turkey. 

 

Over the years, I’ve seen this with many children—screen time can be both a calming tool and a potential hindrance if not balanced properly.

 

I believe it’s essential to find a healthy middle ground, where screen time is limited, but kids are also engaged in meaningful, hands-on activities throughout the day.

 

I once worked with a boy named Drew, whose parents were worried he might have autism. He was showing some problem behaviors and spending too much time on screens during the COVID pandemic. When I observed him, I saw that while he had some challenging behaviors, he actually had advanced language skills and social awareness. The real issue was that he lacked structure in his day.

 

His parents were both working from home, and Drew was spending far too much time on his iPad, without enough interaction and engagement. I realized that Drew didn’t have autism—he just needed more structure and less screen time to help him thrive.

 

In this situation, I can see how an assessor may come to the conclusion that this is a form of virtual autism.

 

So what can be done? 

Can you Prevent Virtual Autism?

Yes! There is a lot you can do to ensure your child or clients are growing up with balance.

I always recommend a few key strategies to help prevent virtual autism, and they all center around limiting screen time and keeping kids engaged. First, it’s crucial to reduce screen time, especially for children under three. Screen use should be minimal and closely monitored.

Instead, focus on structured engagement—make sure kids are involved in plenty of indoor and outdoor activities throughout the day to prevent them from relying on screens for stimulation. If you are struggling with this, especially for children with autism, check out a free workshop to my online courses.

I also encourage parents to promote social interaction by engaging their children in face-to-face play with real people. Interactive, hands-on activities are so much better for their development than passive screen time.

When screens are used, I suggest choosing high-quality content—shows with real people and meaningful interactions, like Miss Rachel, and ideally, parents should watch along with their kids to help them engage.

It’s also important to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for screen time. This means limiting screen use and ensuring the content is age-appropriate and supervised.

Finally, always balance screen time with other leisure activities to keep kids active and engaged in healthy, stimulating ways.

What to Do if You Notice Signs of Virtual Autism

Whether a child has autism, virtual autism or just a speech delay. It is important to notice signs early and take action. 

Start by taking my free online assessment here and signing up for a free workshop to learn how to start helping today. 

Resources

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Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training