The age of digitalism has witnessed the entry of screens into routine. From a smartphone to a tablet, from a television to a computer, screens have, somehow, become the means of working, communicating, and even entertaining for us all. But health and well-being have cried out in worrying at this side of the coin where children spend more time in front of the screens. This blog explores children’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being after being subject to screen times and offers some practical tips to parents on how they can manage it effectively.
Understanding Screen Time
Screen time is the amount of time spent with gadgets that have screens as a source for doing things like watching videos, playing games, browsing the internet, or attending online classes. Some screen use – usually educational – is good, but more uncontrolled or excessive screen use is a higher risk.
Children today spend a lot of time on the screens due to the convenience of using devices, the increasing popularity of digital entertainment, and even their increasing dependence on online learning-even during COVID-19 pandemic times. Studies reveal that children aged between 8 and 12 years are in front of the screens for at least 4 to 6 hours per day, while teenagers spend as much time, 9 hours a day.
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Impact of Screen Time on Health of Children
1. Dangers to the Physical Health of Children
Excessive screen usage impacts children’s physical health in all these ways:
- Obesity: Extended periods of screen use are most often linked to a sedentary lifestyle and, thereby, reduced chances of engaging in exercise. In addition, taking bites while watching TV or playing a computer game allows for bad weight gain.
Another effect that has been accredited to the use of more time in screens is the digital eye strain, which feels like dryness and might make your eyes appear reddened and blurry. Besides these, the screens emit blue light that, subsequently, ensures that the sleep is less sound as it interferes with the circadian rhythms.
- Musculoskeletal Problems: The largest causes of back, neck, and shoulder pains are associated with poor sitting postures that lead to some of the top musculoskeletal problems. Such poor sitting posture may eventually contribute toward later long-term musculoskeletal problems.
Sleep deprivation Involves exposure to screen use, especially at night before sleep, which causes changes in the release of melatonin, thus bringing about a delay in sleep and a general degradation of quality. It may compromise developing growth, immunity, and cognitive function.
2. Cognitive and Academic Proficiencies, Effects of Screen Activity
Screen activity influences the cognitive development of the child based on critical periods of growth: Lowered ability to concentrate the swift flow of images and quick information that present themselves on screens make children accustomed to have a preference for constant stimulation and it becomes hard for them to focus on activities that require sustained attention.
- Low Academic Performance: All such free time in the screens is deprive from study or reading times that eventually result in low marks in academics.
- Late Language Development: Over-screened young children do not get lively and realistic experiences that help in language and communication development.
3. Mental and Emotional Health
Excessive use of screens has severe psychological impacts that multiply into many other areas:
- Pathogenesis of anxiety and depression: The pathogenesis of anxiety and depression sets in because of exposure to excessive use of social media, cyberbullying, and content that emphasizes unrealistic standards that starts feeling inadequate, lonely, and low self-esteem.
- Addiction and Behavioural Problems: Dependency, withdrawal symptoms and irritation in case of lack of access. It can lead to the inability to handle emotions and impulsive behaviour.
- Social Competencies: Since more time is spent on the screen than face-to-face contact, there is very little time for proper building of crucial social competencies that enable children to fail at building and maintaining relations and to manage interpersonal situations very poorly.
4. The Family System
This particular factor of overuse of screen time impacts not only the child but also the family system as a whole:
- Reduced Family Interaction: Time for meaningful interaction among the members will be reduced. This includes fewer conversations, less outdoor playing, and even a lesser number of meals eaten together.
- Increased Arguments: Conflicts between parents and children can arise due to the argumentation of whether or not to limit screen time.
While the dangers of too much screen time are scary, screens in themselves are not evil. What has been lost is a healthy dose of technology that does not have a deleterious impact on children’s well-being. How to do that:
1. Set Clear Boundaries
Set a daily limit for the total screen time allowed based on the child’s age. Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- Infants 0–18 months. No other screen except video contact.
- 18–24 months. Encourage learning in interactive way together with adults.
- 2–5 years. Less than one hour a day of recreational screen time.
- 6 years and older. Limit should not supplant sleep, physical activity and other elements of healthy lives.
Some screen-free spaces or times, for example during meals or an hour before bedtime.
2. Be Active
Involve children in outdoor games or sporting activities that will ensure there is no screen time by engaging them in drawing or other board games.
3. Modelling Healthy Behaviour
Your child imitates your behaviour. Set your boundaries by spending fewer minutes of screens and more time living outside the screens. Use your time to talk face-to-face and spend quality time.
4. Quality Over Quantity
Concentrate on the content, not on the screen time duration. Select programs that are appropriate, informative, interesting, and encourage learning and creativity. Remove violence and other inappropriate contents.
5. Encourage Open Communication
Explain to your child why he or she needs to minimize his or her screen time and how that will be healthy for him or her. Tell your child about his or her online experiences and problems, like cyberbullying or peer pressure.
