How much should you limit Kids screen time and Electronic Use?

 

How much should you limit Kids screen time and Electronic Use?

An entire generation of kids is growing up with smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices. This has many parents worried but it’s also giving scientists a chance to answer the question that what effect does screen time have on kids developing brains—

According to Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study two important takeaways are 1) MRI scans found significant differences in the brains of some children who reported using smartphones, tablets and video games more than seven hours a day.

 2) Children who reported more than two hours a day of screen time got lower scores on thinking and language tests. 

The Brain scan showed that kids with lots of screen time had a premature thinning of cortex and brain processes interrupted information from the senses. That typically happens as a maturing process, so what we would expect to see later is happening a little bit earlier.

 Now at this point we need to understand that excessive screen time may lower children’s academic performances, but it could be also that children who have difficulty with certain mental task like visual scanning and praxis or attention deficit may be more drawn to screens. 

Studies have even found that excessive screen time can harm children’s health like, increasing obesity and disrupting sleep. Overuse of electronic devices makes muscles of hands and fingers weak and it even leads to poor academics. 

 Earlier research focused on television and console video games because that’s what was around at that time. But since Smartphone was introduced in 2007 screen time landscape has changed drastically. 

Research includes teenager’s brain study while they checked their Instagram feed. They found that when teenagers viewed their Instagram feed, the reward system of their brain activated- which releases dopamine- a brain chemical involved in cravings and desire. 

Teens who use electronic media at night are more at risk for sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression. Cutting back on screen time may relieve some of these symptoms.

 For parents concerned about their child’s screen time, American academy of Paediatrics has suggested following guidelines.

For children under 18 months old, no screen time.

For children between 18 to 24 months, high quality media to be watched only with parents.

For children 2 to 5 years old, quality stuff less than one hour.

Parents should not overuse mobile devices in front of children and encourage active participation by mode of physical activity, fun games and board games.

To give more insight on important current issues please read what

 Dr. Dhwani Anil Shah, Ophthalmologist and Retina Specialist has to say:-

“My kid watches the mobile the whole day.” This is the usual complain that parents come to me with. It is a common sentiment amongst all parents, whether they are working or not working. I have a small kid about 3 years old and I too complain the same.

What to do? With our kind of an active lifestyle where we have commitments and agendas and now the pandemic, when our child watches a little screen, it makes our life easy. When we have to feed fussy children, screens come to the rescue. Older children have online classes.

All of us know that screen time is bad, limited screen time is somewhat ok and more screen time can cause problems to the eyes, health, mind. Solution?

Altogether stopping the use of mobiles is the ideal answer. But is it possible? Ask an adult to do that, no one will agree. How can we ask the child to give up the mobile with an interesting video in it? But smart usage is possible.

First, calculate the child’s screen time. If you do a true calculation it may run into a couple of hours. Here, the child may just be watching mobile for leisure or while feeding or classes.

First modification – try to switch to a bigger screen with increased distance between the child and screen. Television and desktop are always better than iPads and mobiles.

Generally the online classes run for 3-4 hours with a regular break of 15-30 minutes. Break does not mean time to check WhatsApp messages, check Instagram or check Facebook. No. Break is given for resting the eyes. Make sure the child gets up from the seat and goes to the kitchen to have some water or use the washroom. While watching the screen, we tend to not blink frequently. Blinking consciously has to be encouraged. This can prevent dryness of eyes.

For the younger ones, try to reduce 50% of the meals without the screen. Options like engaging games and activities to be thought of. Change place of feeding. Home balconies or non crowded terraces are good.

You may notice that when child has not seen the mobile for long, the child is more playful and creative and less irritable.

Increase in screen time may cause eye pain, redness, dryness and headache. It is also one of the important causes of refractive error [eye power/spectacles], which causes decreased vision. In case of any of these symptoms, ophthalmologist review is compulsory.

Technology is something we cannot avoid, but smart use is the key.

By

Dr. Mona Shah