The average teenager spends around 4 on their phone every day. Nearly all 8-year-olds spend around 2 hours and 25 minutes on a device. In the past 20 years technology has become more widespread, affordable, and easier to use for the comments people. So easy in fact that many 3-year-olds know how to use even a complex machine such as a laptop.
Hows electronics can effect early development of a child’s brain
During the ages of 0-3, the child goes through a phase called the “critical period.” In this time the child develops essential skills, such as language, vision, and hearing. But without proper stimuli, the child can fail to develop properly. Imagine this, instead of a parent reading a storybook to a child the child watches a TV show. Instead of forcing the child to imagine the story in their mind, all the visuals and sounds are presented to the child. This can cause a sensory overload releasing the stress hormone cortisol and under-developing of the frontal lobe. The part of the brain is responsible for crucial abilities. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association of Pediatrics “1-year-olds who were exposed to more than four hours of screen time per day showed delays in communication and problem-solving at ages 2 and 4.” Use of technology at a young age has also been linked to worse motor skills in toddlers and children. Early use of screens not only impacts their brain’s frontal lobe it also affects behavior. Kids who are used to being stimulated by electronics will not respond the same to real-world stimulates. Making it harder for them to engage in playing sports or toys, and spending time with friends. In addition, kids’ mental health can also be at risk. Children who spend more than 4 hours on devices show more signs of aggression, expressing their own emotions, and or having empathy. The blue light in the screens stimulates the brain and confuses it. This makes it harder for children to sleep, in a period where sleep is the most important part of their lives. This can lead to stunted growth and health issues. Essentially screens at a young age are hurting a toddler’s brain, mind, and body. Putting their future on the line.
Teens with screens
With an increasing popularity in video games and unregulated use of social media teenagers are using more time on their phones. Technology is the perfect way to destroy lives. 75% of teens in 2024 have a phone and 50% are openly addicted to them. Spending a median of 4 on their phones and sending around 100 texts a day, about 1 in 4 teenagers with 4 hours or more of daily screen time have experienced anxiety or depression symptoms in the past 2 weeks. This can impact their interactions with family and friends, performance in school or other activities like sports, and mental health. Looking at screens all day can increase the risk of eyesight impairment and damage to posture. It’s common for surgeons to develop back and neck pain from looking down all day, and it seems like devices are doing the same. With the decreased amount of sleep the developing teenager experiences due to devices bad posture can limit growth and spinal health. Since COVID Myopia( an eyesight condition that causes far-away objects to seem blurry) has been on the rise. Jumping from 24% of children having the condition to 34%. Specialists have been expecting this as the blue light puts stress on the eyes, while also occupying the child decreasing the chances of them participating in outdoor activities.
Advantages of Technology?
Though screens have many downsides if used in moderation they have to have a good number of advantages. In moderation, the stress that screens put on children’s brains could be helpful. Certain studies have shown that children who use technology moderately from an early age are calmer in stressful situations and are able to focus better. When in controlled environments devices have helped treat depression and release dopamine.
When out of hand technology is like poison. It mess up the brain and limits the capabilities of children in their future. This is concerning as we need engineers, doctors, etc… for the future. As our world becomes more and more advanced.
RELATED STORIES
https://healthmatters.nyp.org/what-does-too-much-screen-time-do-to-childrens-brains/
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/children-and-screen-time
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/cover-kids-screens
https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/how-too-much-screen-time-affects-kids-eyes
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