TVs, smartphones, computers, and tablets – screens are everywhere around us. For the children born in the digital age, it is a normality to spent hours playing on smartphone or computer, watching TV, or plunging into the world of social networks. All these can lead to technology addiction in children, a more evolved form of the well-known smartphone addiction.
Technology addiction and childhood obesity
Each hour spent in front of a screen will mean less time for kids to play outside, play sports, read, or rest. All these activities can contribute to the child’s physical and psychological development.
In addition, when computers or television replace physical activity, this has a direct impact on the risk of overweight and many are exposed to childhood obesity.
Smartphones and sleep disorders in children
Smartphones, tablets, and even computers’ screens emit a blue light which affects the natural circadian rhythm in children, thus causing sleep disorders.
Also, children exposed to screens’ blue light since a very young age will experience the negative outcomes of this actions in time. Kids will develop a sort of passivity which will limit their outdoor activities as well as other day-by-day tasks.
Technology addiction in children negatively influences the development of young children
As a consequence of the before-mentioned passivity, a sort of retardedness will occur. This one will result in difficulties in verbal communication, as well as in a slower motor and cerebral development.
Kids’ minds are not trained to think, to concentrate, or to imagine, thus, they have to be taught all these things. But when they get everything in full via TV, computer, smartphones, or tablets, their minds won’t develop properly.
For the health of your children, you shouldn’t expose them to technology in their first 2 years of life. From 2 to 5 years, you should limit the time their spending on PC or smartphone to 1 hour per day.
By limiting the time your children spend with the technology they won’t develop technology addiction and will have time for outdoor activities, play sports, or socializing in the real life, not just online, so, you’ll keep them safe from childhood obesity and mental disorders.
Now, if only there was really such a thing as “technology addiction,” instead of fear-mongering by people who make money from convincing parents their kids need the treatment they provide. Parents should use media and technology thoughtfully and sparingly, as well as minding their own use, but there is – at present – no designation in the DSM for “technology addiction.”