Many people make a mistake when they give cell phones to children younger than 12 to play with them all day long. Yes, we live in a world where technology is developed, but still, our priority should be our children’s health, and it has been shown that these devices may endanger it.
According to one research, both tablets and cell phones have significantly prevented the learning and development of our children and as a result, this affects their behavior.
We give you 11 reasons to keep these handheld devices away from your children:
- Delayed development: Movement improves the learning abilities and attention, while on the other hand, these devices restrict the movement of children which is why they can’t develop properly. As a result of this, 1 in 3 children enters school with being developmentally delayed. Using technology for children under the age of 12 should be forbidden because it significantly impedes the learning and the development of the child which furthermore, negatively impacts literacy and academic achievement.
- Sleep deprivation: Insufficient sleep leads to severe health issues and low grades at school for children. Sadly, even 60% of parents don’t pay attention to their children’s technology usage, and 75% of children are allowed to use cell phones and tablets in their bedrooms.
- Rapid brain growth: Overexposure of technology is linked to reduced ability to self-regulate, cognitive delays, impaired learning, increased impulsivity and attention deficit. This is a reason enough to forbid our children to use technology until they are properly developed.
- Epidemic obesity: Children who use their devices in their rooms have 30% higher risk of developing obesity and diabetes, which will lead to an early stroke or heart attacks. Unfortunately, it is expected that the 21st-century children might be the first generation to not outlive their parents.
- Radiation emission: The WHO has classified cell phones in the category 2B risk (possible carcinogen), due to the radiation emission. 2 years after that, Dr. Anthony Miller from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health, discovered the dangers of the radio frequency exposure and suggested its reclassification as 2A (probably a carcinogen), not 2B.
- Eye strain: Starring at the screens of these devices leads to eye strain or computer vision syndrome. This is a reason enough to prevent your children spending a lot of time in front of a computer, tablet or cell phone.
- Unsustainable: Sadly, the future world will be a desolate place for the children who overuse technology, because the way they are educated and raised is not sustainable anymore.
- Mental illness: Parents should definitely forbid their children to use technology all day long since overuse will lead to increased rates of child anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis, autism, attachment disorder, attention deficit, and problematic child behavior.
- Digital dementia: The high speed media content causes attention deficit, reduced concentration, poor memory since the brain pruning neuronal tracks to the frontal cortex. In other words, those children who are not attentive cannot learn.
- Addictions: Nowadays, children are more and more detached from their parents due to overuse of devices which leads to addictions. According to the statistics, 1 in 11 children aged 8-18 are addicted to technology.
- Aggression: Due to violent media, children are more and more aggressive. There are so many TV shows that portray torture, murder, rape, sex, mutilation and fights, which is why the United States placed media violence in the category as a Public Health Risk due to casual effects on child aggression.