How watching too many cartoons affects a child's mind and behaviour

Cartoons are often entertaining and educational for children. But when watched too much, they can range from fun to harmful. According to a pediatrician, their positive or negative effects depend on what the child watches, for how long, and whether parents are there to guide them.The Bright SideCartoons are created to be engaging and memorable. Through animated storytelling, a child can quickly learn language, colors, numbers, social cues, or even problem-solving skills. In fact, well-designed educational cartoons like Galli Galli Sim Sim help young children learn letters and numbers, especially when parents are involved in viewing and discussing the content.When Too Much Becomes Too MuchHowever, the downsides can be significant:● Decreased executive functioning: Watching as little as nine minutes of fast-paced cartoons can temporarily impair a preschooler’s attention, self-control, and problem-solving abilities.● Long-term delays in development: Children aged 2-5 who watched more screen time developed language, memory and social skills at a slower rate, even when factors such as parental education and physical activity were taken into account.● Behavioral changes: Children who watch a lot of cartoons may imitate the aggressive actions they see on screen, adopt speech patterns they see on screen, and may also have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality.

For example, children may also repeat phrases or behaviors from the cartoons they watch a lot.● Cognitive and emotional overload: Watching fantasy-filled, fast-paced or high-speed visuals can impact a child's cognitive system, leading to decreased attention, impaired memory, and reduced impulse control.● Social and emotional struggles: Spending too much time on screens can lead to emotional problems, increased anxiety and poor sleep in children.

When children spend time on mobile phones or TV instead of real conversations, they have fewer opportunities to learn social and emotional things through play and interaction.● Physical health concerns: Excessive screen time also has many other negative effects such as: less physical activity, poor posture, eye strain, headaches and even weight gain.Striking the Right BalanceThe neurologist’s advice backed by research is to use cartoons as a teaching tool, but thoughtfully. Here’s how:● Monitor content: Prefer slow-paced, educational programs over violent or edgy ones.● Co-view and discuss: Watching movies with parents improves learning ability and helps children connect with their own lives.● Set time limits: For preschoolers, this should be no more than an hour a day● Offer alternatives: Encourage physical play, creative activities, and real-life interactions to balance screen time.● Discuss reality vs. fantasy: Help children understand that what they are seeing is not real, encourage them to think critically rather than blindly imitate.In short, cartoons can enrich children's lives if used wisely, but when used excessively, they pose real cognitive, behavioral, and health risks. Parental involvement, quality content, and healthy boundaries are the keys to making screen time truly beneficial.(Dr. Puja Kapoor, Paediatric Neurologist and Co-founder, Continua Kids)