the long term impact of technology on kids
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Technology has many great benefits in adults and children. However , you will find quite a number of bad consequences, kinds that may surpass the good, including obesity, access to sexual supplies, low self-pride, and attention deficit disorder. Parents need to be aware of these in order to better the quality of existence for their kids. This study paper looks at the effects that technology has on children, the future consequences of those effects, and gives solutions on how to avoid these effects.
The Health Effects of Technology on Kids and Their Long-term Effects
According to Pew Research (2014), 79 percent of teenagers grow older 12-17 own a mobile phone, 80% own a computer system, 94 percent have a Facebook profile, and ninety five percent gain access to the internet (“Teen Fact Sheet”). This means that a lot of children gain access to and are affected by technology. Even though technology may be beneficial to both children and adults, they have more than the fair share of harmful effects. This daily news looks into the wide array of negative overall health effects brought on by technology simply by asking the subsequent questions:
Understanding the negative mental and physical wellness effects of technology on kids can better prepare and inform father and mother on how to guard their children.
Exactly what the Physical Effects of Technology on Children?
Even though technology has its own positive physical effects, especially in fitness, once combined with a sedentary lifestyle, technology is fairly harmful. An example of this is television set. According to a study carried out by the Trademark Nutrition and Health from the National Start of Public welfare in South america, “obesity risk decreased by simply 10 percent for each hour per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and increased by simply 12 percent for each hour per day of television viewing” (Ebbeling, Pawlak, Ludwig, 2002, p. 475). There is a good correlation among heavy tv viewing and health problems that include: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and a greater prevalence of asthma (Strasburger, Jordan, Donnerstein, 2010, pp. 761-762). The increase of unhealthy weight can be attributed to the number of commercials for unhealthy food presented on television as well. According to Strasburger et ing. (2010), “Children and young adults see 4400-7600 ads annually for processed foods and junk food on television alone”(p. 761). That equates to between 12 and 20 ads per day. These advertisements have already been shown to influence children’s choices and cause them to become believe that junk food is a normal, everyday factor. (Robinson, Borzekowski, Matheson, Kraemer, 2007, Effects section, afin de. 3).
The overuse of technology is also linked to visual problems. Computer Perspective Syndrome (CVS), is described by the American Optometric Association (n. d) as a “group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged pc use” (para. 1). CVS is found in equally adults and children, and is also not restricted to just computer use. It is also the result of excessive use of game titles, television, and cell phones. Symptoms of CVS incorporate blurred distance vision, eyestrain, and dried eyes. With neglect, the symptoms can easily worsen and be more of a hassle.
Regardless of the negative health impacts caused by technology, you can still find a few positive physical influences. When coping with child safety, Campbell (2005) argues that “the mobile phone means as a result both allowing the child to call father and mother if they are struggling, but also provides a monitoring capacity of parents phoning small people”(p. 6). Parents are in a position to know exactly where their children are at all times, deliver immediate messages, and possess the comfort of knowing that if their child is safe, and if these people were to be struggling, they’ll be able to make a call for help. Children are able to contact their particular parents quickly and effortlesly in an urgent, as well as arrange meeting spots in a faster and more dependable way. However , technology can also be harmful in a way of child security and privateness. According to Madden ain al. (2013), 91 percent of teenager social media users post a photo of themselves, something that might make them a target to a predator. A whole lot of info is also posted publicly too. 71 percent of teenager social media users post all their school identity, 71 percent post the city or area that they are in, 53 percent post all their email address, and 20 percent content their mobile phone number. Most of this info posted is available to the open public, meaning anyone, even a child predator, can see this information, by looking at a teenager’s social websites profile.
There are also a number of fitness applications for smartphones and tablets, which include: NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Play 62, Kid’s Health, and Amazing Eating. These types of applications happen to be either aimed towards physical exercise, or towards healthy ingesting. However , in respect to Google Play (2014), of these applications, each offers only 1, 1000 to 5, 000 downloads, whereas more popular apps among children, such as Facebook or myspace, used by 94 percent of teenagers (“Teen Fact Sheet”), has more than 1 to five billion downloads available, and popular fitness software Nike offers over 15 million downloads.
Technology also enables children to see things which can be age unacceptable. In a study introduced by Strasburg ou al. (2010), nearly half of a group of truck 10 to 17 year-olds had been exposed to online porn material in the past season. Television shows geared towards children convey more sexual content material that adult-oriented shows (760). These are things that father and mother should not be seeking their children to determine, or at least needs to have a conversation about these things with their kids. According to Strasburg ou al. (2010), the characterization of sex relationships on television gives adolescents the notion that sex is normative and risk free, and this things such as preventive medicines are not significant. Access to technology also leaves the possibility of mailing sexually precise pictures. Relating to a nationwide survey done with 13 to 19 year-olds, 20 percent had delivered and 48 percent acquired received lovemaking messages (Strasburg et ing. 2010, g. 761).
Exactly how are Children Influenced Mentally, Psychologically, and Socially by Technology?
Early on childhood can be described as time for essential and rapid brain development. Many early on life experience will have an effect on your responses throughout existence (Kolb, 2009, para. 2). So what occurs a child can be exposed to a lot of media at an early age? According to Strasburger et al. (2010), studies demonstrate that there is a “possibility of language holds off among newborns exposed to extreme television or perhaps videos” (p. 761). Another correlation is found, where observing over two hours each day of tv set per day “in early the child years has been related to attention disorder (ADD) through the early college years” (p. 761).
Technology isn’t all bad for early development. According to Taylor (2012), video games and also other screen multimedia improves visual-spatial capabilities, and reaction occasions. Also through media, children and teenagers can study tolerance toward people of other competitions and nationalities. Important public messages can be embedded in television applications as well, obtaining educational emails across in a manner that children can pay attention to (Strasburger et al. 2010, s. 762).
On a interpersonal and psychological level, technology aids in connection with peers (Campbell june 2006, p. 4), allowing teenagers communicate and interact with the other person, at any time of the day, along with assisting in the firm of their ideas. It also enables teens to convey what their particular interests are, such as music, art, and magazines (Hutchby Moran-Ellis, 2013, chap. 2). Children and teens can easily communicate with their peers whenever you want. However , there are drawbacks to this ability of 24/7 connection, especially when considering bullying. By simply changing how children can easily communicate with one another, bullying is currently present in a brand new environment. Cyberbullying, which is thought as online harassment that is repeated over time (Lenhart 2010). Among 10 percent and 33 percent of teenagers are getting bullied online, and 26 percent survey being bullied through text or call. With the ability to remain anonymous when bullying through text message, phone call, or the net, a child may never understand who normally the one tormenting them is.
Technology offers indirect effects on the emotional health of children and young adults. According to Must and Strauss (1999), childhood unhealthy weight can have got lasting results on self-esteem and body image (p. 3), and in line with the Harvard College of Public well-being (n. d), people who are obese are more likely to possess depression than people with usual weights. Seeing that technology can be described as major factor in childhood unhealthy weight, it can partly be blamed for this. Young adults who are bullied have got higher levels of substance abuse, depression, school avoidance, and may become bullies themselves (Lenhart, 2010), thus perhaps ruining their futures.
Exactly what the Long Term Outcomes of Some of These Effects?
Childhood overweight is a life-long health risk. Obesity has severe results on a individual’s quality of life and wellbeing. Based on the Harvard Institution of Public well-being (n. d), men happen to be obese have got a sevenfold higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and women include a 12-fold higher risk, in comparison to those of a similar gender who were in the typical weight range. Obesity also affects our economy, costing america $190 billion every year.
There are research that explore the negative effects that attention deficit disorders (ADD) have about children. According to the National Centre for Learning Disabilities, PUT can cause kids to be slower in processing information, be disorganized, have got trouble doing homework, and struggle to adhere to instructions. Most of these symptoms can result in struggling in school. Although there will be medications to treat ADD, they will still have their particular share of side effects, which includes: anxiety, stomach pain, decrease of strength, and sleep problems (RxList, n. d). Instead of relying on medication to solve problems, parents should just arranged limits with media.
What Should Be Done to prevent These Unwanted side effects and Long Term Consequences of Technology?
Preventing the negative effects of technology is not the responsibility of just one party, nevertheless instead, it is the responsibility of parents, doctors, marketing industries, plus the government. Parents should take charge in what they will allow youngsters to do and place limits. Relating to Strasburg et approach. (2010), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that father and mother limit total screen time for children more aged than two years to no more than one to two hours per day, and to avoid it completely for children of younger age groups. However , relating the AAP (n. d), children use seven several hours a day altogether screen period. The AAP also recommends that parents watch multimedia with their kids and go over the content (p. 762).
Doctors can be a part of the perfect solution is. More pediatricians should be well-informed on the influences that mass media has on their patients. According to Strasburg et al. (2010, simply half of the pediatricians in a 2004 survey of 365 pediatricians were enthusiastic about learning even more about all those effects of mass media. Also, simply half of the pediatricians had suggested limiting screen time to their patients. They should be encouraging parents to “avoid putting a tv in the children’s bedroom” (p. 762). By reducing a television set in a infant’s bedroom, they could sleep, rather than spending all night watching television and playing video games.
Too much money is being spent advertising processed foods, such as junk food restaurants and junk food treats. According to Orciari (2013), “in 2012 the fast food industry usually spends $4. 6 billion to market mostly detrimental products, and children and teens remained key followers for that marketing. ” Likewise, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2011), 80 percent of food products marketed towards youngsters are high in over loaded fat, sweets, or salt. They are affecting children and the diets, however nothing is made about it. What could be done is definitely limits could possibly be placed on promoting junk food and fast food to children. When ever done in britain, it ended in a decrease in young audiences’ exposure to items linked with child years obesity (Strasburg et approach. 2010, p. 763).
The government should be passing and enforcing legislation regarding tv and children. According to Strasburg ou al. (2010), the Kid’s Television Act was passed in 1990 and “mandates 3 several hours per week of educational or perhaps informational development for children on broadcast tv networks” (p. 763). However, this laws has not been carefully enforced. Congress should revisit the topic of technology and kids, and appropriately distribute financing, pass laws, and make educational programs in an effort to protect children in the negative consequences of press.
Conclusion
In order for father and mother to help their children avoid the unfavorable health impacts of technology, they first must determine what those unwanted effects are. The negative physical effects of technology include obesity, computer vision syndrome, and an increased likelihood of child predation. The bad mental, mental, and social effects of technology are children can be teased in more ways, they can develop attention deficit disorder and lower self-pride. Obesity and Attention Deficit Disorders have long lasting effects for the future of children, effects that no father or mother would want to occur to their children. There are many things that can be done, and they is possible by parents, the government, and the advertising companies, but it is definitely parents who need to take demand, and press the others to adhere to their cases and buy the future of children. As technology advances, thus should parent concern, and action. If perhaps nothing is completed, future years of children must suffer with the consequences of our inactivité.
