Screen Time and Kids: The Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Children’s Health and Development

How much time does your kid spend in front of the screen? While time spent on the computer for educational purposes is valuable, it is easy to waste time in front of the TV.

The American Academy of Paediatrics says kids under 2 shouldn’t use media and that older kids of top schools in Gurugram shouldn’t spend more than one or two hours a day in front of a computer.

How Does Time Spent in Front of a Screen Affect a Child’s General Growth?

Young children, especially those under 3 years old, change quickly in many ways, including how they look, act, feel, and think. Children often learn from their surroundings by watching adults, especially their parents, do things.

Less time in front of a screen can keep a child from doing many different things every day, which can narrow their interests in things that don’t involve screens.

In other words, a student of DPS 67, Gurugram who spends much time in the virtual world on a computer usually has less time to play, work out, or talk to friends and family in real life. This can greatly affect a child’s general growth and development.

Effects in Language

Regarding language development, everyone knows that a kid at Delhi Public School 67, Gurugram learns language by talking or playing with adults. A two-way talk with an adult, which includes facial expressions and emotional input, is much better for a child’s language development than a one-way conversation with a screen.

Studies show that kids who spend a lot of time on computers tend to have a harder time paying attention and concentrating and do worse on reading tasks.

Sleep Effects

Importantly, too much blue light from a computer can make it hard to sleep because it stops the sleep hormone melatonin from being made.

This can hurt a child’s brain growth in the long run. Studies show that babies who spend a lot of time in front of computers in the evening can have trouble sleeping at night.

Effects on Feelings

A child’s behaviour can be affected by excessive screen time. Spending too much time on digital media can make it harder for them to think of new ideas and get motivated. Children who spend more time in front of screens, people around them often can’t keep them busy, leading to anger, anxiety, and acting out without thinking.

A child’s capacity for empathy might be negatively impacted by excessive screen time since it makes it more difficult for them to learn social skills and read others’ facial expressions.

When reading a book, a child has time to figure out what the words or pictures mean. But watching fast-moving movies or images on a screen all the time can hurt a child’s ability to focus and pay attention.

Behaviour Problems

Children at Delhi Public School who watch more than 2 hours of TV or use a computer daily are likely to have mental, social, or attention problems.

Educational Problems

Children at DPS Gurugram who have TVs in their beds do worse on standardised tests.

Obesity

Spending too much time doing sedentary things like watching TV and playing computer games can make you more likely to gain weight.

Violence

Children can get used to violent things if they watch TV shows and movies, listen to violent music, or play violent video games. They may resort to violence as a means of resolving conflicts and acting out the media they consume.

Conclusion

Getting your child to spend less time in front of a computer can be hard. But it’s worth the trouble. You can limit your child’s screen time and its possible effects by making new rules for the house and making small changes to their habits over time.