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Editorial

Prolonged screen time impacts children’s brains

Encourage them to play outside


Bangladeshpost
Published : 13 May 2022 12:54 AM

While virtually distributing the "National Sports Award" Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked all concerned particularly the parents to encourage their children to play outside, which would help boost children's physical and mental health alongside stopping   their derailment. The Prime Minister called upon the parents to take initiatives for taking their children outside home to play or run which is a must for their mental and physical wellbeing.

Bangladesh has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of technology available to and used by children over the last decade. We are now living in such a digital paradigm where our children grow up in a world surrounded by technology and the internet. One of the biggest differences in the way that children live today is that they don’t get as much exercise as their previous generations used to do. This is because technology such as computers, smart phones and television encourages them to be sedentary.


Parents, teachers and guardians should encourage 

children to spend less screen time using digital 

technology


Technology is consuming a significant amount of children’s growing-up time while helping them develop an identity and connect with the virtual world. Access to technology helps children increase their cognitive and analytical skills. Today’s children are able to ascertain between competing facts more accurately and make decisions more quickly. Although technology does provide many positive benefits for learning, it also affects overall development of a child in a negative way. 

The impact of prolonged screen time could change how children’s brains develop. It damages children’s capacity for originality and for critical and reflective thinking. It is found that those who use too much technology are more likely to develop the same brain chemistry as substance abusers. Experts are of the opinion that children who spend more than two hours a day looking at a screen have worse memory, language skills and attention span.

International Journal of Child Health and Human Development said kids have a lack of motivation for activity due to overuse of technology. Hence, leveraging the usage of technologies in child has become the need of the hour. 

Parents, teachers and guardians should encourage children to spend less screen time using digital technology. We should encourage our children to play outside and do daily exercises which will help them reduce depression and anxiety. An all inclusive approach is needed from everyone to keep our future generation’s health in check.