How gadgets are harming our children

Some of the modern gadgets being used to calm children are phones, tablets and computers.

These gadgets work like magic — once the child gets to know how to click a few buttons, he wants it in his hands every waking minute.

A growing body of studies is sounding an alarm: Prolonged screen time is dangerous for children. How dangerous?

Multiple studies show what many parents may have already observed — video games, YouTube, social media and television are all incredibly addictive.

Doctors say too much time staring at screens can harm brain development, contribute to sedentary lifestyle, and lead to delayed or poor reading skills.

Children exposed to many hours on screens are more likely to display aggressive behaviour because they naturally model what they see online.

In some cases, children exhibit low energy and find it hard to concentrate in school or at home doing homework.

DISEASES

Digital gadgets are so alluring that they do not allow children and young people time to engage in physical activities which are so crucial for their development.

Lack of physical activity can cause a host of health problems, including overweight and obesity.

What’s even worse is that children are becoming overweight or obese at an alarming rate.

Statistics show that in developed countries, a staggering 34 per cent of children and teens are either currently overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, a trend that is quickly being replicated in developing countries.

According to research in the Journal of Human Brain Mapping, which is corroborated by a number of other studies, people who are obese or overweight are also likely to have smaller brains compared to lean people. When it comes to the gray matter, size matters.

MODELLING

A smaller brain means reduced brain function, which can affect every aspect of one’s life including relationships and professional development.

Screens have also been shown to disrupt sleep. The blue light emitted by the super-sharp displays can interfere with our natural bodily rhythms, preventing melatonin, an important sleep hormone, from being released.

The American Academy of Paediatrics advises that children under the age of 18 months should not have any screen time.

Children from 18 months to two years should only watch selected educative content on the screen for a limited time.

Those who are between two and five years should not have more than an hour of screen time in a day.

What can parents do? Children gravitate towards the modelled behaviours of their parents. If they see you reading a book, they are more likely to read. And if they see you always glued to your gadget, so will they.

Mr Wambugu is an informatician. Email: [email protected] @samwambugu2