Almost every parent and guardian are concerned about the number of hours their children are logged on to their smartphones, televisions and tablets. Spending excessive time in front of screens has been strongly linked to speech delays, poor social skills as well as a lack of sleep. However, research by the University of Michigan reveal bigger issues to be linked with screen addiction i.e., causing problems in other areas of life.
The effects of screen addiction in kids have been studied in detail. One serious effect includes physical strain on the body and eyes. Staring at the screen takes a toll on the body and eyes leaving them dry. It also leads to blurred vision and strain on the retina.
Increased risk of obesity and susceptibility to chronic health issues are also serious effects of screen time on children. The sedentary nature of smartphones and other social media devices indicates that children are likely to be depriving themselves of physical activities. This can contribute to increased weight and also unhealthy eating habits. The risk of obesity further makes children vulnerable to diseases like diabetes.
In addition, this also impairs socializing skills and weakens emotional judgment. Using smartphones and playing online games is mostly a solitary activity and there is a lack of real-life interaction. This leads to anti-social tendencies where kids feel withdrawn from others and no longer enjoying being with other people. There is also an impact on children’s ability to process and register different emotions. This can lead children to be desensitized to violent content which can be extremely worrying. This could potentially increase aggression levels in children.
Screen addiction also tends to delay learning in young children. Alteration of a child’s brain as a result of excessive screen time could impact their ability to learn. Children that watch more television and videos have more difficulty when it comes to picking up languages. Young children learn far better through physical exploration. Allowing them to watch videos can passively hinder their minds from being engaged and active.
Spending significant amounts of time in the virtual or digital world can also negatively impact children’s self-esteem. The time spent in front of the screen could otherwise be used to form a relationship with other people and forming friendships. This time could also be used to discover passions, build speaking skills and creating experiences that build confidence. There is also the threat of cyber-bullying which further affects self-image and can damage self-esteem.
Recommendation for screen time especially for children has shifted over the years but the most recent limits include;
So, a particular limit for school-aged children, but social media and gaming should be monitored.
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