One of the first documentaries to explore the relationship between screen time and autism-like symptoms in children, A Stone Unturned presents findings and the latest scientific insights from researchers, clinicians, and autism specialists from Canada, France, Romania, and the United States. Together, they argue that excessive screen time may interrupt crucial social interactions and alter brain development in young children. Through published research, conferences, and direct work with families, they aim to raise awareness around a key discovery: reducing screen exposure for young children can help prevent and even reverse developmental delays.
After learning about Virtual Autism, a condition causing autism-like symptoms in children under three exposed to excessive screen time, three families from the United States and France decided to adjust their children’s screen media consumption to help them overcome their symptoms.
Over the course of three years, the families minimized distractions from screens and audio technology while increasing social interaction with their children, achieving surprising results for both their children's development and their family relationships. Their experiences are supported by a growing body of research suggesting that excessive screen exposure could be an environmental trigger for autism-like symptoms.
What is Virtual Autism?
Virtual autism is a newly proposed term that describes symptoms in children caused by excessive screen exposure (more than 4 hours a day for children under 3) including language and communication delays, impaired social skills, attention problems, emotional and behavioral issues, sleep problems and physical inactivity.
While some clinicians and child development specialists use the term Virtual Autism, and state that Virtual Autism is separate from classical autism, other autism researchers have also used the terms Early and Excessive Screen Syndrome, Early Media Overexposure Syndrome, Post-Digital Nannying Autism Syndrome, and screen time as an environmental trigger for autism or autism-related symptoms.
Our hope is this film can help raise awareness with parents, caregivers and early intervention therapists, as well as encourage more research to fully understand how screen time can play a role in early child development.
