Photo Credit: Jamie Street, Unsplash
Too often, parents ask me "how much time should I allow my child to access screen time?" Before we dive into how much, let's take a quick look at the effects of too much screen time.
Brain-imaging research has shown that glowing screens such as the television, mobile phone and ipads, stimulate the brain's pleasure center. It is the general term for the set of brain structures, predominantly the nucleus accumbens, which produces great pleasure when stimulated electrically. The hypothalamus also produces dopamine which is a 'feel-good' hormone that gives a sense of pleasure. This could be a reason why people become quickly addicted to online games and TV shows or streaming entertainment on Netflix, YouTube, HBO and the like.
Spending long hours staring at a screen have adverse effects on the eyes, leaving them feeling dry, which can lead to retina damage and blurred vision. It also affects posture and cause stiffness in the neck and shoulders. The blue light emitted from the digital screens interferes with the production of sleep hormone melatonin in our body. It is a hormone produced by our brain in response to darkness and regulates our sleep-wake cycles.
In addition, those exposed to long screen times are depriving themselves of physical exercise and activity. Coupled with habitual snacking, it can lead to obesity and other chronic diseases.
Obsession with screen time, including social media platforms, rob our children of real-life interactions with family and friends. It can lead to anti-social tendencies and poor communication skills. Continual exposure to violent content can also bring about aggressive behaviours in some people. Besides gaining weight, the scariest consequence is the adverse effects on the structure of the human brain. Long screen time causes the grey matter that is responsible for cognitive processes to shrink. This can manifest in the form of poorer concentration weaker memory, and slower information processing. It is estimated that the delay in learning can be as much as 50% higher for every 30 minutes spent watching the TV in young children.
In today's world, technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives. The World Health Organisation (WHO) offers guidelines for children on a daily basis:
Below one-year old - no screen time is recommended.
2 years old - less than one hour screen time.
3-5 years old - no more than one hour.
5 and above - screen time should be filtered and tailored to each child, no more than a few hours. Doctors generally suggest the less screen time, the better.
Family rules about screen time can help children to understand your limits and expectations. What steps can parents take to limit screen time at home?
Schedule or plan a dedicated play time for them to engage in physical activities such as walking, running, rock-climbing, skipping and biking.
Encourage offline hobbies such as sewing, painting, origami, reading, puzzles, or learning a musical instrument.
Have a set time each day for television, computer or tablet time, so that your child knows when to use them and for how long.
Avoid using your own electronic devices excessively in front of your child; children learn best from your examples.
Set parental controls to prevent exposure to inappropriate content.
Preview websites, games before allowing your child to access them.
Only allow screen time in a public area of the home so that adults can supervise usage.
Parents have the responsibility of setting limits and monitoring their child's overall electronic activity. As your child gets older, open communication is key to helping your child use his/her time wisely and in a healthy way.
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