Globalization brought about many technological advances aimed at making your life more convenient. One of the major changes in this modern age is the presence of digital screens at almost every opportunity you can possibly imagine. Smart phones, tablets, and smart TVs are seamlessly part of your family’s daily routine. That is why children today are prone to overexposure to digital screens at a young age, which may affect their brain development.
How long is too long?
Prolonged screen time can result in many negative effects on your child’s overall health. Mayo Clinic states a few side effects like obesity, lack of social skills, irregular sleeping patterns, and even behavioral problems.
The Philippine Society for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (PSPOS) discourages screen time for children aged 1 and below and advises guided screen time for kids above 5 years of age. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children between 18 to 24 months are discouraged from all forms of media use, except for video calling. Parents are advised to carefully curate the kind of programs displayed on their devices, and to always supervise the screen time of their children. Young children between 2 to 5 years old should be limited to only one hour of high-quality media exposure in a day. Ultimately, it is still up to you to set how long your child has access to their devices.
What should you do?
Aside from filtering and supervising your child’s digital media consumption, it is always a good idea to go back to the basics. Kids have the option to play with interactive toys or activities that involve tactile responses and encourage social interaction with family and friends.
If you are a parent of an older child and they already have access to a digital device, it is good to set standards by talking to them about what they are allowed to view online and explaining why there are rules set in place. Activate the parental control features on your child’s devices so you can easily monitor their online behavior.
What alternative activities can you engage in?
PSPO recommends that you engage in reading and story-telling activities for young kids. For older kids, bring out your trusty board games and pass on your Scrabble legacy! There are many other things that your family can do for fun without relying on your devices like camping, exercising, and even cooking/baking. Create better relationship building opportunities for you and your child so you can lessen the need to rely on technology for entertainment.
Families play a huge part in molding children into physically and mentally healthy individuals. Participate in the narrative by encouraging unplugged bonding moments during the weekends. Be a role model and lessen your own exposure to your gadgets as well so your child can follow in your footsteps.
General disclaimer
Your doctor will always be in the best position to give the appropriate medical advice for your condition. For suspected undesirable drug reaction, seek medical attention immediately and report to the FDA at www.fda.gov.ph and UNILAB, Inc. at 8-UNILAB-1 or productsafety@unilab.com.ph. Always buy your medicine from your trusted drugstores and retailers.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/screen-time/
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/screentime-baby-todd.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/health/screen-time-kids.html
https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheets/screen-time-and-children
https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/pages/media-and-children.aspx
