Are you the kind of parent to give your child a phone or tablet every time he gets into a crisis or gets bored? It's time to stop this practice and limit your child's time in front of the screens, as this addiction can damage his brain. Today, experts are sounding the alarm about this phenomenon, explanations!
According to one study, prolonged use of screens can lead to a screen-dependence disorder, a disorder that can lead to a battery of symptoms, including insomnia, weight loss, or attention disorders. difficulty concentrating. This disorder can also create a feeling of loneliness and anxiety in the child.
The screens yes ... But with limits!
In his article in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, Dr. Aric Sigman says that a child today will have spent a whole year being stuck on screens at the age of seven. He adds that this addiction can alter the amount of certain chemicals produced in the brain, thus causing significant brain damage in children.
Dr. Sigman cites a series of published studies suggesting links between the long hours spent on screens and diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The expert says that the impact of the screens is not only related to sedentarity but also to the cognitive abilities of the individual. Indeed the time spent in front of the screen can lead to a decrease in the attention span.
Prolonged exposure to screens can alter the amount of dopamine produced by the body, this key brain substance called the neurotransmitter unconsciously encourages behaviors that activate reward circuits.
For television, it's even more vicious because the child is passive, and the brain is in a state close to hypnosis.
Balance is the key to child development
Devices such as phones or tablets are not bad in themselves, they are essential tools for communication, learning and entertainment. Nevertheless, developmental psychologists explain that the healthy development of children involves social interactions with the environment, imaginative and creative games individually or in groups, discovery and exploration of the real world.
What you need to do:
Observe: When your child is not able to perform regular activities or tasks, talk to an expert about the causes and help your child become screen independent.
Limit: According to health experts, for toddlers under the age of 18 months, the use of screens is strictly prohibited. For children under 2 years old, a small screen time should be allowed. Children aged 2 to 5 should not spend more than an hour in front of the screen. The schooled children when to them, can be entitled to one to two hours of screens under the supervision of the parents. And if you notice a strange change in your child, consult a specialist.
Give the example: Parents and friends must lead by example by moderating their exposure to screens in the presence of children.
Inform: Do not hesitate to inform your children about the addiction process, it is important that they become aware of it so that they can control themselves.
Bored: According to an article in the newspaper Le Monde, boredom is a trainer because being bored gives birth to creativity and initiative in the child.
So do not give in to the technology siren and protect your kids from screens and their impacts!
