Screen Time and Developmental Milestones in Toddlers Aged 18 to 36 Months in Ogun State

This study investigates the relationship between screen time exposure and developmental milestone attainment among toddlers aged 18 to 36 months in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. The widespread use of smartphones and tablets as caregiving tools among Nigerian parents has raised growing concerns about the consequences of early and excessive screen time for language acquisition, motor development, and social responsiveness in very young children. This research adopted a cross-sectional survey design and recruited 300 parent-toddler pairs from paediatric clinics and mother-and-child health facilities in Abeokuta and Sagamu local government areas. Daily screen time was reported by parents using a structured digital media diary, while developmental milestones were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition. Data were analysed using independent samples t-tests and Spearman's correlation. Results reveal that toddlers with daily screen time exceeding two hours showed significantly delayed language and social development scores, even after controlling for parental education and household income. Co-viewing with a caregiver and interactive use of educational content partially mitigated negative outcomes. The study recommends that paediatric health workers in Ogun State routinely counsel parents on age-appropriate screen time limits and the developmental importance of interactive, language-rich play. Keywords: screen time, developmental milestones, toddlers, Ogun State, language development.