We have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of technology available to and used by children over the last decade. We are now living in such a digital paradigm where our children grow up in a world surrounded by technology and the internet. Today's children don't get as much exercise as their previous generations used to. This is because technology such as computers, smartphones, and television encourages them to be sedentary.
Many parents seem to have no rules regarding their children's screen time. Some are even happy to find such a way to keep the kids busy so that they cannot interrupt their own screen time. They are simply unaware of the harmful effects of so much time spent in the virtual world.
Excessive use of electronic media can have a negative impact on children's behaviour, health, and school performance. Children's eyesight may be harmed by too much time spent on digital devices. A study published in the journal "PLOS One" found school-age children who play computer or mobile video games seven hours or more a week triple their risk of myopia, or nearsightedness. Experts are of the opinion that children who spend more than two hours a day looking at a screen have worse memory, language skills, and attention span.
A study at the University of Toronto showed that DLD was most commonly seen in children under four years of age. Similar research at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto showed that every 30 minutes of screen time among toddlers resulted in an additional 49 per cent risk of them suffering from this speech disorder. We should encourage our children to play outside and do daily exercises, which will help them reduce depression and anxiety. An all-inclusive approach is needed from everyone to keep our future generation mentally and physically fit.
Apurba Das
Student, Faujdarhat Cadet College
Chattogram