As screens compete for family attention, top federal health officials are warning that young children may be paying a developmental price. The concern centers on early and excessive screen time and the way it can affect attention, memory and language skills.

Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, interim surgeon general and principal deputy assistant secretary of health, said the issue has become a direct challenge inside homes. "Parents are now fighting for attention from the screens," Haridopolos told Fox News Digital.

According to Haridopolos, early and excessive screen time can trigger severe neurocognitive delays in young children. Those delays can impact attention spans, memory and language skills, she said.

Experts also say high screen exposure in young children threatens early brain tissue development. That concern has made family screen habits a focus for the U.S. Surgeon General's Office.

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To help parents combat screen addiction, the U.S. Surgeon General's Office has released a targeted framework known as "the 5 Ds." The framework is aimed at helping families set clearer expectations before screens become a source of conflict.

One recommendation is not to wait for an argument to begin before creating boundaries. Experts recommend that families sit down together and outline clear, age appropriate rules for when, where and how long screens can be used during the day.

Those expectations can reduce daily arguments, experts say, because parents and children know the rules in advance. The goal is to make screen limits part of the household routine rather than a repeated negotiation.

Haridopolos also said parents should model the screen habits they want their children to follow. The message is that adults cannot expect children to disconnect if adults are constantly using their own devices.

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"If we're constantly on our screens, then perhaps our children will be, too," she said, encouraging adults to "be good role models and lead by example."

She suggested that breaks like summer and the holidays can be important opportunities for families to reset digital boundaries. Those periods can give parents a chance to rethink routines without the pressure of ordinary schedules.

The office also recommends redirecting children to offline activities. That approach gives children alternatives instead of making screen limits only about taking devices away.

Haridopolos encouraged families to build regular screen free periods into daily life. She specifically pointed to meals, car rides and the time before bedtime as moments when families can disconnect.

During meals, families are encouraged to keep dinner focused on face to face conversation. Haridopolos also warned that scrolling while eating can lead to higher caloric intake and increased consumption of ultraprocessed foods.

In the car, families are encouraged to treat travel time as a chance to reconnect. That means not automatically turning to phones or seat back screens during the ride.

Before bed, families are advised to turn off blue light devices at least an hour before sleep. The guidance says that can help avoid disrupting natural sleep cycles.

"Those are some simple activities that you can do that will make huge changes in the future," the interim surgeon general added.

The guidance presents screen habits as a family issue rather than only a child behavior issue. For Haridopolos, the reset begins with parents setting boundaries, modeling healthier behavior and creating more moments without devices.