Movement, Screens, and the Developing Brain

It has been a long time since I last wrote a blog post. Not because I have nothing to say, but because in recent months almost all of my time has been devoted to our research.

I am currently leading several scientific studies at the same time, the results of which we are publishing. Some have already been published, and several of our articles are awaiting publication in prestigious international scientific journals.

Scientific work is extremely time-consuming, but I believe that in the long term our work serves the interests of children and families.

In one of our most recent studies, we obtained results that I cannot simply pass by without sharing them in an understandable way. I feel that in the middle of the summer holiday it is especially important to share this with parents.

After all, this is the time when children have many more opportunities to spend time outdoors, go hiking, visit playgrounds, ride bicycles, climb trees, or simply move freely and joyfully instead of spending hours in front of the television, mobile phone, tablet, or computer.

Because this is exactly what one of our latest studies is about!

Our research — which is currently under review by the international scientific journal Frontiers in Pediatrics — involved 64 children under the age of six. The participants underwent a standardized neurological assessment, during which we evaluated 18 primitive and transitional reflexes based on a total of 30 measurement points.

In addition, parents completed a questionnaire assessing their children’s digital device usage habits.

The results were surprisingly clear, even for us. We found that the more time a child spent using digital devices and digital media, the higher the number of retained primitive reflexes. The association was statistically extremely strong.

It is important to emphasize that our research does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. We cannot state that screen use itself causes primitive reflexes to remain active.

However, we can state that we found such a strong association between the two phenomena that further studies involving larger sample sizes are necessary.

In addition, it is also clear that if a child is staring at a tablet, tapping on a phone, or sitting in front of the television for hours, then at the same time they are not in the playground, going hiking, or playing football.

Why is it a problem if retained primitive reflexes are found after the age of three?

Primitive reflexes are a natural part of infancy. They help newborn babies adapt and support their development during the first months of life.

However, as the nervous system develops, these reflexes should gradually become inhibited. At the same time, higher-level neurological processes develop, including voluntary movement, balance, fine motor skills, attention, and self-regulation.

The inhibition of each primitive reflex occurs through movement.

If these infant reflexes and automatic movement patterns remain “active” longer than expected, they may be associated with symptoms such as:

• difficulties with motor coordination,

• balance problems,

• attention difficulties,

• sensory processing disorders,

• learning difficulties,

• challenges with behavioural regulation.

This is why primitive reflexes are now being studied by an increasing number of researchers worldwide as a possible objective indicator of neurological maturation and function.

Here I would also like to mention that in our research we found that the primitive reflexes most likely to remain active in association with excessive digital device use were those that negatively affect attention, behaviour, motor coordination, and a child’s level of anxiety.

So what does a developing nervous system need?

The answer is very simple:

MOVEMENT! Of course, it also needs sensory input — sounds, images, smells, touch, and so on — but the neurological foundation required for the accurate processing of these sensory inputs is established through movement.

LOTS OF MOVEMENT!

VARIED MOVEMENT!

The developing nervous system is not built and developed on the sofa or in an armchair, but through movement.

A playground is, in reality, a natural neurological development centre.

A swing develops the vestibular system.

A climbing frame improves body awareness, coordination, and cooperation between the two hemispheres of the brain, while also helping to inhibit 5–6 primitive reflexes.

Running, jumping, rolling, spinning, balancing, and ball games provide the brain with types of stimulation that no digital device can replace.

A hike offers even more. Uneven ground, stones, roots, uphill and downhill paths constantly require the nervous system to adapt. Every step is a new stimulus. Every movement is a new learning opportunity. Time spent in nature develops movement, sensory processing, attention, and stress management all at the same time.

Our research has not yet examined one very important question.

In the current study, we investigated only whether there is a relationship between digital media use and the persistence of primitive reflexes. In other words, whether there is a connection between the maturation process of the nervous system and the amount of time spent using digital devices.

However, we did not examine what may perhaps be one of the most serious consequences of digital device use: habituation and the development of digital addiction.

Today, an increasing number of international studies warn that intensive screen use at an early age may increase the risk of problematic media use, behavioural addictions, attention difficulties, and problems with self-regulation.

This alone deserves serious attention.

We will continue our research, not only by involving more children but also by expanding the age range. Unfortunately, we have good reason to imagine that at slightly older ages, more intensive mobile phone use may make an already concerning picture even worse.

In the meantime, I suggest we do not forget: childhood cannot be repeated!

During the first years of life, the brain develops at an incredible rate. This is when the neural connections that will affect us throughout our entire lives are formed.

This development is not supported by screens, but by movement, play, nature, social relationships, and real experiences.

It is okay to watch cartoons.

It is okay to watch videos.

It is okay to use a tablet occasionally.

But these must never become a defining part of a child’s everyday life!

Because a developing nervous system primarily needs movement, not pixels.

If there is a choice between one hour of television and one hour at the playground, choose the playground.

If there is a choice between a tablet and a family hike, choose the hike.

If there is a choice between a mobile phone and playing ball together, choose the ball.

The time spent moving may seem today like “just” simple play, but in reality, every run, every climb, every swing, every jump, and every minute and hour spent moving is one of the most important “investments” in a child’s developing nervous system.

And if we, as adults, move together with them, there is hardly a more valuable gift we can give to our children and grandchildren.

Of course, I know that not every day is suitable for longer outdoor activities. In summer there may be extremely hot days, while at other times rain or stormy weather keeps families indoors.

Even then, however, it is important that a child’s nervous system does not simply “kill time” passively watching screens. There are many movement-based games that can also be done at home and support the maturation of the nervous system while developing balance, coordination, and sensorimotor skills.

For this reason, I warmly recommend my book Rewiring the Brain using Sensorimotor Exercises: The Stephens-Sarlós Program, available from Amazon, which contains simple movement and sensory exercises, as well as targeted exercises designed to support children with different developmental challenges.

Illustrations: AI-generated