Effects of screen time on child's development

 Effects of screen time on child's development

Effects of screen time on child's development

Nowadays, it has become a trend that children should be addicted to digital devices such as tablets, mobiles, and smartphones. That's why most parents think that great entertainment for their children can be by spending time on tablets and smartphones. So most of the parents feel proud when they get expensive gadgets/tablets for their kids.

It's true that advanced digital technology provides entertainment and improves educational skills, but too much use of screen time is harmful. It's a fact the time which kids spend on screen, is a relaxed time for the parents but they can't imagine about the impacts of this entertainment on their children's brain.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, screen time for pre-school children shouldn't be more than an hour. For children who are younger than 18 months, electronic devices should be prohibited.

When a child spends most of her time on electronic devices, his interest in playing with siblings, physical activities, and interacting with other family members diminishes. And screen time has visible impacts on a child's overall growth.

According to scientific research, that developmental delays as communication problems, language development, damage of motor skills, and emotional issues in children are just because of the excessive use of electronic devices.

Impacts of screen on children

1. Language development

The early years of a child's life are crucial for language development, but the children who spend most of their time before the screen can have communication problems. In the early years, a child's mind is most receptive to language, so the child should spend his early years with his parents so that he may understand how to interact and communicate with others.

Too much use of mobiles and tablets creates the problem of speech delays. According to research, children who spend most of their time on electronic devices can't perform well in reading tests.

2. Emotional impacts

For children who are addicted to screen, their imagination power and the motivational level gets damaged. These children can't read other people's facial expressions. Screen addicted children can't understand other people's emotions, and this thing can limit their ability to make friends. So these children have poor relationships, and their self-esteem is very low.

Videos and images that are playing at a rapid speed on the screen have negative impacts on a child's concentration and attention level.

3. Sleep problems

Sleep deprivation is in those kids who spend most of their time on screen. The blue light from the screen, as T.V, mobiles, and tablets emits melatonin(a tiny organ near the center of the brain)which causes a sleep delay.

But most parents have a very wrong conception that watching the videos on mobiles and tablets would improve a child's sleep pattern but the fact is that the blue light emitted from the screen disturbs the sleep cycle in the brain and can lead to insomnia.

4. Obesity(overweight)

If children spend most of their time on screen, they would not have any physical activity. So they would have the issue of obesity and will become overweighted.

Children addicted to digital devices don't have any interest in physical activities and love to sit in one place. When they start growing, they become overweight.

5. Impacts of the screen on thinking and learning

 our brain works fast when we are asleep as compared to when we are watching T.V or using electronic devices. Our brain is like a machine and learns through direct interaction with the world. So we need to manage healthy activities for our kids for the better development of their brains.

Healthy activities work as a fuel for kids' brains like a portion of healthy food. If your child spends more than two hours on screen, his brain will not develop properly. Using screen for more than two hours can have impacts on child's:-

• Decreased attention span
• Delay in language skills
• Critical thinking abilities

6. Impacts of the screen on eyesight

According to the research of Moorfield's eye hospitals, too much use of screen time increases the risk of myopia(short-sightedness) in children. The two main reasons for myopia (short-sightedness) in children are as follows-: 1. Genetics 2. In this technology era, children spend less time in outdoor activities and engage themselves in electronic devices such as T.V, computers, and tablets and it creates the problem of myopia(short-sightedness) in children.

How to limit the screen time

• Screen time should be prohibited during mealtime, bedtime, and sleep time.

• Parents should restrict their own screen time to set an example for their kids.

• Explain the harmful effects of the screen to your child and tell him why you are limiting the digital devices for him.

• Offer other activities to your child as art, crafting, puzzle games, cycling, etc. Develop your child's habit of reading storybooks so that your child may not take any interest in digital devices.

• Don't offer a digital device to your child when you are going outing and traveling in the car. In this way, your child would not get the chance to explore the outside world.

• If your child is more than five years old, he can use the tablets for two hours. But be careful that as a parent, you have to monitor your child's screen time. It ought not surpass over 2 hours.