Do you think about the effects of electronic devices and screen time on children?

Rudra Dahal

The use of modern technology has changed the world, making things both easier and more complicated.Adults and children alike are using the new technologies such as telephone, television, radio, Xbox, stereo system, and iPad with increasing frequency. Access to electronic devices makes life easier in all sorts of ways. On the other hand, these devices can have negative impacts on human health as well. ­­For instance, all electronic devices have radiation to some extent which affects our delicate internal organs like the brain, nerves, eyes, and ears. According to the USA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an average child spends almost 8 hours a day watching electronic screens. As they get older, the rate of using electronic devices also goes up. There is an ongoing debate about the advantages and disadvantages of electronics use and screen time for children. In this article, I am writing about the negative effects of using electronic devices on children.

1. Physical health issues: Increased time using electronic devices can lead to serious physical health concerns including obesity, insulin resistance, abdominal fat, and type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that children who belong in this group become more sedentary and move less.They make poor food choices and tend to eat more. Studies have shown that a lack of physical movement may impact on the brain development of young children. Similarly, children may have bad posture which impacts their physique.

• Mental health issues: Children using devices may become overstimulated and experience mood swings, high anxiety levels, and increased irritability. They may also exhibit poor behaviors. As the screen time increases, the risk of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, and suicide goes up.
• Sleeping issues: Many parents are not aware of the connection between electronic device use and sleep disturbances in their children. Children who developed habits of using such devices before bedtime found it hard to fall asleep. The electronic devices emit a kind of blue light that tricks the brain to think that it is day time. If the children are unable to sleep even for half an hour, their behavior is negatively impacted the next day.
• Communication and social impact: The children who regularly use electronic devices for extended periods have greatly reduced communication among their parents and friends. Consequently, they become antisocial.  Increased screen time reduces the quality of family time. Cyberbullying is another significant social issue which has numerous long-term negative effects among victims such as anxiety, depression, stress, and suicidality.
• Reduced academic successes:Children who spend extended periodsusingelectronic devices may have poor academic achievement. They have problems focusing on their academic activities andtend to spend more time on other activities like gaming or using other social media.

Here are some strategies which can help minimize the screen time of your children and reduce the occurrence of the above-mentioned problems.

1. Make a schedule for the use of electronic devices for your children and monitor it regularly.
2. Provide opportunities for your children to do other activities: playing with toys, coloring, painting, playing outdoors, socializing with friends and family, visiting the library,helping in the kitchen, and helping with grocery shopping, etc.
3. Sit with your children, monitor their work and encourage them to engage in other activities.
4. Limit children’s access to electronic devices and lock them after use.
5. Coach your children about the negative effects of using electronics devices andencourage short term use.
6. Be arole model for them: limit your own use of electronic devices, especially in their presence.
7. Encourage your children to have other interests and support them to engage in those interests.
8. Teach your children to take a movement break to avoid long periods of sitting andhelp them to maintain proper posture when using electronic devices.
9. Discourage and limit the use of electronic devices before bedtime.

Although electronic devices make our life easier, we must be conscious about their appropriate use. As parents, it is our responsibility to educate our children about the advantages and disadvantages of using electronic devices, and impact of prolonged screen time.