Screen exposure and reduced cognitive abilities, language development, and tactile exploration in very preterm infants aged 12 months—A pilot study

Background Children are increasingly exposed to digital media from an early age. Screen exposure has been linked to poorer parent–child interactions, and less optimal language, cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional development. However, few studies have explored these relationships specifically in children born preterm. Methods Sixty-four very preterm infants (VPT; <32 weeks gestation) were assessed at 12-months corrected age. Data on media use within families and infant screen exposure were measured using the Family Media Use questionnaire. Psychomotor development, socio-emotional functioning, and tactile exploration abilities were evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III (BSID III) and experimental tasks. Results At 12 months of age, most parents (72%) reported using screens in the presence of their child, with an average daily duration of 1 h. Furthermore, 39% of VPT infants were directly exposed to screens, averaging 4 h per week. No difference was observed in BSID III scores between infants exposed to screens and those who were not. Furthermore, across the entire cohort, no significant association was found between screen exposure and developmental outcomes. However, among infants exposed to screens, greater direct screen exposure was negatively associated with cognitive and language scores (ρ = −0.34, p = 0.048; ρ = −0.56, p = 0.002, respectively) as well as to tactile exploration (ρ = −0.39, p = 0.02), but not to prosocial behavior or joint attention. These associations remained significant after controlling gestational age at birth and parents' socio-economic status. Conclusions Early direct screen exposure in VPT infants is associated with lower language and cognitive performance, and reduced tactile exploration, highlighting potential developmental implications even within the first year. No associations were observed in socio-emotional skills suggesting that these aspects may evolve differently or become apparent later in development. The effects of screen exposure on the development of infants born VPT have not been extensively studied, and further research is needed to support families in offering alternatives to screen use.