Screen Dependency Disorder: How Excessive Screen Time Causes Brain Damage
Is your child easily upset or anxious? This may be due to Screen Dependency Disorder
The importance of limiting our children's screen time is always reminded by SmartParenting.com.ph. According to the latest guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the maximum screen time for children between the ages of 2 and 5 is only one hour a day. Babies 18 months and under should not be allowed to use gadgets.
Numerous studies have shown that excessive use of screens such as TVs, computers and laptops, tablets, and mobile phones can cause harm to children, including sleep problems and pronunciation. in socializing with other people, and in brain development. Based on the latest research, the continued use of gadgets can lead to "Screen Dependency Disorder."
Screen Dependency Disorder or SDD refers to the "addictive" effect of using screens, according to Dr. Aric Sigman, a US-based psychologist who wrote a study titled Screen Dependency Disorders: A New Challenge for Child Neurology. It is also related to Internet Addiction Disorder.
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According to Claudette Avelino-Tandoc, a Family Life and Child Development specialist and Early Childhood Education Consultant, children with 3 or 4 years of age can have SDD. Through an e-mail interview, Avelino-Tandoc explained to Smart Parenting that children with SDD who are just waking up will immediately use their gadget, and you are still focused on the screen while eating at the dinner table and playing games, watching shows, or using apps.
The physical symptoms of SDD are as follows: difficulty sleeping, back pain, noticeable weight gain or loss, eye problems, and headache. In the emotional aspect, those with SDD will notice anxiety, guilt, sadness, and dishonesty. Most who have it choose to be alone, often have mood swings, and are restless, according to Avelino-Tandoc.
According to Sigman's research, children addicted to the screen are characterized by the following behaviors: ability to use gadgets for a long time, refusal to stop or reduce screen usage time, lying about length of use time of gadgets, lack of interest in anything other than gadgets, and the insistence on using gadgets despite its negative consequences.
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If your child shows these symptoms, it is best to see a developmental pediatrician so that he or she can be seen and evaluated carefully, according to Avelino-Tandoc.
"They should also be alarmed when regular family routine or tasks cannot be performed by the child anymore because he or she cannot be 'taken out' from screen time," she says. (It should also be alarmed when the child is no longer able to do the usual activities with the family because it can no longer be prevented from using the screen).
“The parents or caregivers should supply the doctor with their child’s behavior as they have observed at home. He may also have his own set of tests and questions for both the parents and the child. ” (The family or guardian should inform the doctor of the behavior of the child at home. The doctor may also inquire about the parent and the child.)
Previous studies on this disorder show that those with SDD have "microstructural and volumetric differences in, or abnormalities of, both gray and white matter" in the brain, compared to those without SDD, according to Sigman .
This means that long-term use of screens causes brain damage, according to Avelino-Tandoc. This is based on studies that show how screen addiction affects children's brains: impulse control (or the part of the human brain that helps finish something), along with the ability to plan and prioritize. SDD also destroys a part of the brain called the "insula" which is related to our ability to sympathize and understand the plight of others. Regular use of screens also impairs our ability to comprehend new information and perform simple tasks.
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However, Avelino-Tandoc reminded that SDD can be prevented. “Devices or gadgets are not bad per se. They are useful and essential tools for communication, research, learning, entertainment, among other things. Parents are dealing with 21st-century learners, what we call ‘digital natives.’ They should allow their kids to manipulate these tools. However, balance is the key word, ”she says. (Devices and gadgets are not bad - they are useful and important in communication, research, learning, and leisure. Young people today are 21st-century learners, or grown up in the digital age. of parents to learn how to use these technologies.However, proper guidance is needed.)
Parents need to take the lead in guiding the proper use of gadgets at home. They should also encourage their children in activities that strengthen their physique, socio-emotional skills, and practical knowledge.
For example, instead of drawing using a smartphone or tablet, a parent can teach his or her child to write, color, or draw using art materials. If the child is interested in making structures, they can use cardboard, blocks, and other materials that can be stacked.
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Above all, parents should encourage their children to interact "face-to-face" with their acquaintances and friends. Avelino-Tandoc said, "Let them play outdoors so they can express themselves and with proper eye contact with their friends." (Let the children play so they can learn to communicate with eye contact with other people). This will not only strengthen their inter-personal skills, but also their motor skills and creativity.
It is very difficult to manage our children's screen time, but it is not impossible to do. The only goal is to balance the use of technology and practical knowledge, and you will soon succeed.
The information presented here comes from Screen Dependency Disorder Is Real, and It Damages Your Child's Brain.
