Back 2 School: Electronic usage can affect kids progress

HOUSTON – According to new studies the amount of time kids spend using electronics can have a negative effect on their progress in school.

The National Institutes of Health said children under 2 should have no screen time and kids over the age of 2 should be limited to one to two hours a day.

Too much time spent on electronics can effect kids sleep patterns, raise the risk of anxiety, depression, cause attention problems, childhood obesity and their schoolwork.

That includes time spent on smartphones, laptops, tablets, televisions and video games.

The National Institutes of Health said most American children are getting more than five to seven hours a day and staring at a screen primarily involves sitting down.

"Our kids can only have a certain amount of time a day, because they would sit in front of the television all day or play iPads all day if we let them." said parent, Kim Carson.

They also said remove the t-v or computer from children's bedrooms, do not let children eat while watching t-v or using the computer, don't leave a television on just for background noise, and don't let children watch television while doing homework.

Studies also encouraged parents to keep a log of how much time is spent in front of a screen and try to get kids to spend the same amount of time being active.

The National Institutes of Health said parents can also help by setting an example and reducing their screen time to two hours or less a day.