Screen abuse: An unpredictable danger to children

Overuse of electronic screens is becoming a major concern for children's health and development. Children spending too much time in front of screens not only causes eye strain and reduced concentration but also impairs social and emotional skills.

Many studies have shown that excessive exposure to electronic devices can lead to problems such as obesity, sleep disorders and affect brain development, especially language skills and creative thinking ability. Furthermore, children are easily exposed to inappropriate content, causing negative psychological impacts.

Children, with their limited cognitive and analytical abilities, are easily influenced by what they see and hear on TV, YouTube, social media, and gaming apps. Here are the potential risks from 5 popular electronic device screens today.

1. TV

According to the Singapore health organization SingHealth, letting children passively stare at the TV screen not only creates a sedentary lifestyle but also increases the risk of obesity, an increasingly common health problem in young children.

Not stopping there, television content is often not carefully censored according to age, making it easy for children to be exposed to violence or deviant messages, thereby negatively affecting their behavior and emotional development.

In particular, the fast pace and graphic imagery of modern television programs can erode children's ability to concentrate, causing them to lose interest in activities that require patience and depth, such as reading or creative thinking.

2. Smartphone

The abuse of smartphones, from social networks to game applications, not only poses the risk of technology addiction but also causes children to gradually narrow their real-life social relationships, affecting the process of forming and developing communication and interaction skills.

According to Compass, a UK charity that supports the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, social media can promote negative self-comparison, eroding children's self-esteem.

Not only that, this is also an environment where cyberbullying and toxic interactions can easily arise, beyond the control of adults.

Additionally, using electronic devices at night, whether it’s a phone or tablet, disrupts sleep. The blue light emitted from screens can inhibit the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, making it difficult for children to fall into deep sleep and affecting their long-term health.

3. Tablet

Allowing children to use tablets passively, such as just to watch videos, can inadvertently limit creativity and impoverish imagination, which are key skills in early development.

A 2022 study by the Michigan Medicine Center found that when tablets or smartphones are used as a tool to “comfort” children when they are upset, it can reduce their chances of learning to self-regulate their emotions. As a result, children are more likely to have difficulty controlling their emotions later in life, manifesting in mood swings and impulsive behavior.

In addition, the colorful interface and fast application switching on digital devices also create overstimulation for children's immature nervous systems. This makes it more difficult for them to concentrate when participating in creative or patient activities such as drawing, playing with puzzles, or simply chatting with others.

4. Computer

Computers are an indispensable tool for learning, entertainment and information connection today. However, spending hours sitting in front of the screen not only causes eye strain and headaches, but also contributes to a decline in physical activity, an essential factor for the comprehensive development of children and adolescents.

Meanwhile, easy access to the Internet also puts children at risk of exposure to harmful or age-inappropriate content.

A study published in 2022 in the US National Library of Medicine showed that long-term use of the Internet and playing video games can negatively impact brain development, especially functions related to language and the ability to maintain concentration.

5. Virtual reality glasses

According to a 2022 report by Common Sense Media, a US-based nonprofit that provides recommendations on appropriate entertainment and technology content for children and families, participating in virtual reality (VR) games can have significant effects on physical health.

Common symptoms include nausea, eye strain, and an inability to recognize elements in the real world, which can put children at risk while traveling.

Not only that, virtual reality environments also pose many psychological risks. Children are easily exposed to inappropriate content such as pornography and vulgar language, and are at risk of facing serious consequences such as technology addiction, increased aggressive behavior and a tendency to withdraw from real-life interactions.