In 2017, the NGO Common Sense Media concluded, from a study, that most American children spend five to seven hours in front of a screen. This screen can be a television screen, a computer screen, or a video game screen.
One of the consequences of exposure to this type of screen, which emits a bluish light, is the loss of sleep quality and the limitation of time devoted to other activities. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, developing people need at least eight hours of sleep and one hour of physical activity a day.
These data show that blue screen exposure can be harmful to adolescents. However, this situation is even more aggravating in the case of children aged 2 to 5 years.
In 2019, a study released by the journal “JAMA Pediatrics” clarified that when 2- and 3-year-olds are exposed to the blue screen, communication skills, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, and social skills will all be reduced. limited when they are between 3 and 5 years old.
This study does not say that blue screens are necessarily the cause of problems in children's development, but that they may be one of the factors that are linked to this type of difficulty.
One of them, to analyze quick thinking, motor skills and coordination, is the act of stacking two toys. It is expected that a child in the development phase will not have difficulties in performing this activity.
Considering that a child's growth impairment may be related to exposure to blue screens, the more it is presented to tablets and smartphones, the more this problem can get worse.
Assistant professor and chair of child development research at the University of Calgary, Sheri Madigan, says there are ways to prevent this ailment. One recommendation is that the use of electronic equipment by children be limited to one hour a day, with the supervision of the child's relatives.
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