Our Daily Life – Honest, Warm, and Sometimes Chaotic
From my perspective – as a father.
First, I need to say this clearly: My wife is an educator. And especially in the educational context, digital screen time is heavily limited – not without reason and also rightly conveyed that way.
That's part of her training, part of her professional stance, and part of what's recommended for "typical" children.
And then there's my perspective.
That of a father without that degree.
Observations from Daily Life
What I see with Sam is this: He gets absorbed in audiobooks just like in real books. He gets absorbed in front of the TV – but only with familiar, calm series or movies. Nothing exciting. No quick cuts. No new stimuli.
Even as a two-year-old, he liked watching educational shows. Always the same ones. With an intensity and persistence that surprised us even then.
I want to be honest: Screen time in front of the TV is unfortunately – or perhaps simply factually – very high at our place.
But: Sam is happy during it.
He laughs a lot. He seems relaxed. He absorbs content and later does something with it in play. He's often more balanced afterward than before.
The Other Side – Critical Thoughts
At the same time, I also have an uneasy feeling. Because Sam shows a very high affinity for television. Almost something you could call an "addictive tendency."
Additionally: We almost always have an audiobook running during meals. This means that Sam's digital media time throughout the day is significantly higher than in many other families.
From an educational perspective – for a neurotypical child – this is certainly too much.
And this is exactly the crucial point.
Between Theory and Reality
Sam isn't a "normal" child in the educational sense. He processes stimuli differently. He regulates himself differently. And he finds calm through different pathways.
For him, audiobooks and television aren't pure consumption. They are:
- Structure
- Predictability
- Regulation
- Security
All things that help him manage daily life.
Of course we observe carefully. Of course we limit content. Of course we pay attention to familiar formats and calm stimuli.
But in the end, what counts for us is: Anything that sustainably calms Sam without further overwhelming him has its place.
What the Science Says (Brief & Understandable)
Digital media can have a regulating function for autistic children, especially when they're predictable, familiar in content, and designed with low stimulation.
Studies show that repetitive, familiar media content reduces stress and can serve as a co-regulation aid.
At the same time, it's emphasized that not duration alone, but content, context, and function are decisive.
Media that contributes to calming and subsequently leads to play, communication, or balance has a different effect than passive sensory overload.
Selected Sources:
DSM-5-TR – Autism Spectrum Disorder
American Academy of Pediatrics – Media Use in Children
Mazurek et al. (2012): Media use among children with ASD
Nally et al. (2018)
What We've Learned
Screen time can't be evaluated across the board. Especially not for autistic children.
For us today: Not how much is decisive, but what it does to Sam.
And if something brings calm, triggers smiles, and afterward play is possible again, then it deserves at least one thing: to be taken seriously.